Katherine
by the.nerd.voice
Summary: Sequel to The Night Comes Quickly. Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate. After returning home from the hospital, Sharon Raydor and Andy Flynn must figure out a way to make their new family work. Complete. Next installment of the saga called We Are Flynn. Keep an eye out for it soon!
1. Chapter 1

The infant's first day home had been quite adventurous for the newly formed Flynn family. Rusty had brought some clothes to the hospital for the baby, Flynn had bought a new car seat and spent several hours attempting to install it properly in the back of a police cruiser, and Sharon had discovered the joys of breastfeeding...or lack thereof. Katherine Alice Flynn's first week home was going well.

Rusty sits on the bed, next to Sharon. He shields his eyes as the baby eats, "Are you sure you're even doing that right?"

"No one asked you to watch, you know." Sharon raises an eyebrow.

"I'm not watching. It's our room anyway." He still has his hand up to block her as he checks his cell phone, "Andy wants to know if you want him to pick up lunch." He pauses, "I thought that's what he went out for."

"It was, he probably forgot." She smirks, "Yes. I thought there was some Mexican food called in about," She checks her watch, "An hour ago. Tell him that."

Rusty nods, his fingers touching the screen, "How does she eat like that?"

"She's quite content...until I pick up a pump, this is how it has to be done." Sharon tucks her hair behind her ear.

"You had plenty of time to be prepared for this."

"And you know why I was not." She says quietly, "You know why I wasn't."

He squints his eyes shut for a second to pat her on the back, "I'm glad you've come around." He brings his hand back up next to his face, checking his phone again, "He wants to know whose name it's under."

"I would have been better off going myself." Sharon shakes her head, closing her eyes for a moment to calm herself, "Flynn." She picks the girl up, covering her naked breast, "It's safe to look." She pats the baby's back.

Rusty lowers his hand and tilts his head to the side, looking the baby in the face on her shoulder, "I think she's plotting ways to kill all of you."

"If she was smart, she would just wait until we just died off instead." Sharon smirks, hearing the soft belch of the infant, "Want her?"

In the baby's few days of life, she had already formed a type of bond with Rusty Beck. He nods, "Of course." He takes the baby into his arm, watching her slouch comfortably as he continues to look at his phone with his free hand, "He says he's on his way."

Sharon nods, snapping closed the cup of her nursing bra before covering it with her blouse top, "How do you do that?" She smirks, glancing to the boy and her daughter.

He shrugs, "I figure, if she doesn't complain, neither will I."

She reaches to the nightstand, picking up her glasses and sliding them back onto her face. She takes her mobile phone from her jeans pocket, "DDA Hobbs is coming over." She smirks, responding to the text the woman had sent.

"The one who helped deliver her?" Rusty glances to the woman.

Sharon nods slowly, "I owe that woman a new suit."

He smirks, "You owe her more than a new suit. With the money you have, you could buy her a wardrobe." Rusty stands with the baby still resting in his arm and walks to the living room, "By the time Andy gets back, maybe she can share our cold food with us."

Sharon follows the boy, moving to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water. "I don't understand what's taking him so long." She shakes her head, using the remote to turn on some old sixties music on the surround sound wired through the house.

"Katie likes this stuff." Rusty motions to the music in the air.

Sharon smirks, "She should. It's all I ever really listen to. She's been listening to it for a while."

"Fair point." He glances to the woman, "Would you mind getting me a can of soda? It's on the bottom shelf."

"No problem." She nods, opening the refrigerator and pulling out a can, snapping it open before she takes it to the boy, "You should start getting back to school. I had the baby, you didn't."

Rusty glances to her slowly, "It's Saturday."

"Yes, but..." Sharon sighs, "She likes you more than she likes me. There isn't too much time before we need to start looking at colleges for you."

"I'm not going to college." He shakes his head.

"Oh, yes, you are. You are entirely too bright not to. I won't let a mind like that go to waste for God knows what reason." Sharon shakes her head at him.

Rusty shakes his head, looking down at the baby, "I will get a job."

"Doing what? Flipping burgers at a fast food chain? Absolutely not."

"I just got a sister. I'm not leaving her when she needs me most." He finally says, glancing to the woman standing above him, "I won't abandon her like that."

Sharon sighs, a part of her knew that was the reason, "You aren't abandoning her."

"Yeah? Leaving her at just over a year old to go and study Forensics? There are more important things."

"You won't be abandoning her. You can apply somewhere close." She sinks next to the boy slowly, wrapping an arm around him, "You aren't abandoning her. You are setting an example. An example, if I may add, that will make it so I won't need to have this exact discussion with her in eighteen years."

"What if it's community college?"

"If that's what you want. I would rather you have the experience of a campus-"

"Because your son was in a fraternity? We see where that's gotten him."

"My son's issues are not because of Frat House shenanigans. Andy can attest to that." Sharon looks to him above her glasses, "You told me to give you thirty days notice before something changes. I'm giving you longer than that. Start looking at Universities." She nods, standing up and walking to the front entrance of the bungalow when she hears the doorbell chime, "DDA Hobbs." She grins, stepping aside, "Please, come in."

"I'm sorry to bother you. It's my lunch hour and-" The blonde shakes her head.

"Oh, Andrea, please. If it weren't for you, I probably would have been dead a week ago." Sharon places a hand on the woman's back, "Sorry for the mess." She motions to the spotless living room.

"I wish mine was this messy." Andrea smirks, setting her briefcase down, tilting her head to the side as she sees the girl resting against Rusty's chest. "She is beautiful, Captain."

"Thank you." Sharon smirks.

"Who would have thought Flynn plus Raydor equaled gorgeous." Rusty smirks, gently handing the resting infant to the woman, "I have homework."

"We will finish that conversation later." Sharon warns him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. If she cries, call me." He smirks, returning to his room.

Andrea holds the small infant in her hands, smiling, "She looks like you, Captain."

"That changes every hour." Sharon smirks, sitting across from the woman in her high, wing backed chair.

Hobbs nods slowly, "I always wanted kids, but...I'm too busy for it, I think. Wouldn't be fair to them." She smirks when the baby opens her eyes to look at her, "Hello there." Andrea continues, "Couldn't get pregnant even if I tried anyway. Health things." She nods, "I love kids though."

"I'll add you to the ever growing babysitter list. She seems to like you." Sharon reaches over, placing a hand on the other woman's knee for reassurance.

"Any time." Andrea smirks when the baby opens her mouth in a yawn, "How has Lieutenant Flynn been with her?"

"Typical father. He has been scouring the internet for ways to build a moat around the house." Sharon giggles, "Already overprotective."

She nods, "She seems taken with Rusty."

"Are you kidding? That's her favorite person in the house. She starts to fuss...he's the only one able to calm her down." Sharon sits back in the chair, "I can't even...it's just natural to him, I guess."

Hobbs nods, "That's great."

"Hey, so I was told that your suit was essentially ruined...from when you helped me out."

"Oh, don't worry about it."

"Please." Sharon raises her hand, "Let me replace it for you."

"I can't let you do that." Andrea shakes her head slowly.

"Then don't let me, I will find your size regardless and I will have a shopping spree on your behalf."

"Captain-"

"There is no argument here. It is the least I can do. Three suits, blouses included, new shoes, and tailoring for said clothing."

"I only ruined one and you want to buy me three? That's too much."

Sharon smirks, shaking her head, "Look around, Andrea, I'm not exactly hurting." She stands, "Something to drink?"

"Glass of ice water?"

"I will see if I can wrangle it up." Sharon adjusts her cardigan as she walks to the kitchen.

"Food's here!" Flynn yells as he walks through the front door, causing the baby to jump and begin to cry, "Damn, sorry."

"I hear her." Rusty walks out of his room, following the smell of food and pausing before the DDA.

"Can I try?" Andrea Hobbs glances to the boy, adjusting the baby in her arms.

"Of course, take as much time as you need." Sharon offers her a sad smile, "How about some lunch? There are plenty of burritos left over. I can tell already. Plenty of rice."

Hobbs glances up, letting the baby relax against her as she stands, gently swaying with the infant, "Only if there is extra. I don't want to impose."

"You would never impose." Sharon glances to Flynn, "What was it that tied you up?"

Andy shrugs, glancing to Rusty a moment, "I got the food, didn't I?"

"What was that?" Sharon points between Flynn and Rusty, "That look."

"I didn't see a look." Rusty shrugs.

"No look was given." Andy shakes his head.

Sharon rolls her eyes, "You two eat, I'd rather have an intellectual lunch partner." She motions to Hobbs, returning to the living room.

Flynn begins to chuckle, eating the now cold food.


	2. Chapter 2

"How are you obtaining all these pictures? On your phone no less." Michael Tao smirks, tilting his head to slide his finger for each one, "I didn't know you even knew how to work the thing."

"What any normal human being does, I slipped the kid ten bucks." Provenza nods, "Isn't she a beaut?"

"I find your enthusiasm in obtaining pictures of Flynn's daughter odd. Have you been to see her at home yet?" He hands the phone back to his coworker, sliding his hands into his pockets.

"No, but Liz has been nagging." Provenza nods, "I wanted to let them get settled in, you know."

"It's been three weeks." Tao shakes his head, returning to his desk.

"Does it bother you at all?" Amy Sykes smirks, leaning forward on her desk.

Flynn glances up, realizing she's talking to him, "Bother me?" He rolls his eyes, "I've given up on being bothered by him a long time ago."

"You should do a service and marry that woman." Louie nods.

"Well, you are the expert." Andy smirks, "How do you know we aren't comfortable?"

"Because I have known you for a long time. The Catholic guilt instilled in you by your mother is eating away at your soul."

"You sound like Sharon." He shakes his head, returning to the file he was reading.

Sharon slowly rounds the corner after stepping off the elevator, dressed to the nines in heels and a dress with matching blazer, "Who sounds like me?" The handle of the baby's car seat tucked neatly into her elbow.

Andy's face softens as he smiles, "I didn't know you were coming in today."

"I was tired of being at home." Sharon shrugs, "Alone."

Sykes quickly rises from her office chair and goes to the Captain, taking the car seat, "She's getting big." She grins, putting the pod-like seat onto her desk and reaching in to unbuckle the clasps restraining the infant.

Sharon shrugs, "Oh, hello Captain. How are you? Oh, fine. Thanks." She teases, smirking, "Lieutenant Provenza, if I find out you've given Rusty any more money in exchange for pictures of my daughter-"

"He won't stop showing everyone that walks through the office, Captain." Sanchez leans back in his seat, "I think it would be best if you confiscated his phone."

"She'll do no such thing." Provenza grumbles, furrowing his brow toward Julio, causing the other man to smirk, "You're dressed very nicely for a visit."

"Well, Lieutenant, I figured since I was here, I could possibly-"

"You're not working today, Shar." Flynn stands, shaking his head and folding his arms.

"What does my job entail that I can't do while having the baby with me?" She motions to Sykes who now had Provenza and Sanchez around her as she holds the infant, "I can read things, sign off on things."

"While that is all true, you fought for the eight week maternity leave. You also fought for an on site daycare facility because it wasn't safe to have children in the offices. Do you remember that? I sure as hell do." Flynn nods, "I remember how many people you pissed off with that."

Sharon sighs, putting the diaper bag on his desk and leaning into his chest.

Andy smirks a little, wrapping his arms around her. Their first real display of affection at work, "Sharon, she needs the full eight weeks with you."

"She hates me. Doesn't even like for me to touch her." Sharon motions, constantly using her hands as she speaks, "I feel like some sort of...food factory. That's all she ever wants me for."

"Rusty will be home from school by three." He nods, kissing the top of her head, "You will be fine until then."

"Captain, I heard it is a joyous occasion for you." A voice booms from behind them, radiating from the hall.

Sharon stands upright, looking to the man, "Assistant Chief Taylor, yes, I-"

"Why are you here?" Taylor shakes his head, folding his arms, "You are out on maternity leave, you are supposed to not be here."

"I brought Katherine in to meet her squad." She motions to the officers fawning over the small girl.

"This is a safety violation and you're taking time away from-"

"We are doing nothing, Assistant Chief." Provenza turns from the baby, looking at the man, "We have no new cases as of right now. When we do, we will get to them. Given the Captain's absence for her maternity leave, I am the ranking officer assigned to this division. When she returns, that will obviously change. However, to keep up and not walk into a firestorm, I need to brief her on occasion, which I plan to do today."

Sharon smirks, bringing a hand to her chest. She gives Provenza a look of thanks before glancing back to Taylor, "Assistant Chief, the last thing I'd want would be to detract officers from doing their jobs. The child stays with me."

"What about her father?" Taylor smirks, motioning to Flynn, "Did you think I wasn't going to find any of this out?"

"No, we just didn't care." Flynn shrugs, raising his eyebrows, and shaking his head. He folds his arms, glancing over to the man.

Sharon gives him a look, then glancing back to her boss, "Chief, We do care. Honestly, we do. At the time it was an oversight, but we have a daughter now and we plan to raise her together...as a family."

Taylor looks between them, nodding. He steps toward the infant, smirking slightly, "Captain, she looks like you."

"Thankfully." Provenza nods.

Andy rolls his eyes, taking Sharon's hand as she stands there.

Chief Taylor nods to the group, "Carry on." He waves, walking to the elevators.

Sharon releases a breath she was holding and slowly shakes her head, "That was close."

"Who the hell cares? That guy is a blowhard." Andy glances shakes his head, "Hey, since they're keeping her occupied, want to talk in your office a second?"

She glances to him, nodding, "Yeah, fine." Sharon looks to Provenza, "If she needs me-"

"I'll handle it myself. You two have a minute alone." Provenza smirks, finally getting to hold the squirming infant.

Andy pulls her to her office by her hand, letting it go for a moment to walk around the room, shutting the blinds.

"What are you doing?" Sharon shakes her head slowly, smirking as she watches him.

He closes the last blind and walks to her, ramming his lips against hers, kissing her deeply as he wraps his arms around her waist.

Her hands move to his shoulders and finally his cheek, returning his kiss until she runs out of breath between them, "What was that?"

Andy smirks, "I can't just kiss you?"

"Sure, but you're up to something."

He nods slowly, "I would kneel, but my knees aren't what they used to be." He takes a small box from his pocket, "I asked you in the hospital and you agreed, but I needed to find the right ring for you to wear-"

"Andy-" She shakes her head slowly.

"A ring that would represent everything that we are." He opens the navy velvet box, presenting a ring with a large diamond with four smaller gems on the sides, "The people that are important to you."

"What's this?"

He swallows before continuing, "The kids birthstones in order and a diamond... for us."

She looks at the ring, tears forming in her eyes, "I love it."

He nods, "I asked you before, I want to ask you again..." Flynn pauses, taking the ring from the box and holding it out to her, "Will you marry me?"

A smile breaks across her face. She motions to the closed blinds, "You did all this to ask me that?"

"We barely get any alone time anymore. It's hard to just...just be us. Just be how it used to be." Andy shakes his head slowly, "I love you. I want you to marry me. Let's be normal for our little girl...hell, even Rusty."

She nods, "Absolutely." She takes the box from his hand, "But I don't want to wear it just yet."

"Why?"

Sharon swallows, "I have lunch with my elder daughter this afternoon."

Flynn nods slowly, appearing hurt, "You don't want her to know you agree to be in for the long haul?"

"That's not it at all." She sighs, "Its only been a couple months..."

He swallows, "Does she hate me that much?"

"She doesn't hate you at all. She just doesn't know you very well." Sharon shakes her head slowly, "Not hate."

And nods, pausing, "She should come around more." He looks to the woman, placing the velvet box in her hand before walking past her, "I have to get back to work."

"Andy-"

"Don't stay too long with the baby. There's been a bug going around the office." He nods, opening the door.

Sharon stands there a moment, taking a deep breath and wrapping her arms around herself. She notices the dark stain on the rug in front of her desk where her daughter came into the world. Her gray Armani blazer still resting on the back of her desk chair. She never realized just how traumatic of an experience it was. She lets a silent tear fall down her cheek, her mind returning to Andy's face.

Louie Provenza chuckles, the baby reaching for his nose while he grins, "And when they become impossible, and they will, trust me. When they become impossible, you come find your Uncle Louie and I'll take care of it for you."

Andy raises an eyebrow as he returns to his desk, "You don't even like your own kids that much." He smirks, "Or even your grandkids."

"That is because none of them like me. Kate is different. She told me so."

"I seriously hope not because I would bring your leadership into question, not to mention your mental health." Flynn sits, shaking his head.

"You see, Kate? Impossible." Provenza kisses the baby's face.


	3. Chapter 3

Sharon shakes her head, looking at the text message received from her daughter that she wouldn't be able to make it. She sighs, having already pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. Slowly glancing through the rear view mirror of her Honda, to the other mirror in the back seat. Rusty had set it up so she could see Kate while she was driving.

She uses the few moments of quiet to her advantage. It was the first time in quite a while. Sharon removes her glasses, gently rubbing the bridge of her nose before placing them back onto her face.

She stares in front of her, the sight of Andy's hurt face running through her mind. Picking her hand up, she studies the golden rings she had worn for what seemed forever. She runs her thumb on the underside of them, spinning them on her slender finger.

This was normal for her. These rings, she was used to. She had worn them for over thirty years and they meant strength to her. They mean something she overcame. However, they also mean safety to her. They mean the ability to go to a bar with a friend and not be hit on by a dozen shady men.

It was a symbol to her children of perseverance and faith.

Her heart was screaming at her that they didn't mean anything anymore. The man was dead and their love was dead long before he was. This safety, she wasn't willing to part with. The prospect of losing the safety terrified her. Her brain was telling her to keep the safety.

She closes her eyes a moment, leaning forward onto her steering wheel. The thought of Andy's strong arms around her as they lie in bed. The smell of his musk as her head rests under his jaw, over his shoulder. The way his thick hands run their way up her hip. Then, over the swell of her engorged, milk-laden breast. The feeling of his lips against her own.

Her eyes snap open as she quickly picks her head up. "Why are you pushing him away?" She whispers to herself. She loved the silver haired man more than she had loved anyone. Why couldn't she trust him? Was it his recovering alcoholic status? She has seen that before, or so she believed. Andy has been sober for thirteen years. Not like Charles Raydor who went the longest for two years and ruined it on a bet. Andy wasn't that type of man. Maybe that's what helped her fall in love with him so quickly. She continually would tell herself, if it weren't for Kate, they wouldn't be together.

She knows that's a lie...almost.

Sharon glances to her rear view mirror to look at her daughter. If it weren't for her, she would have dismissed her feelings for Andy Flynn and stopped the relationship immediately in favor of her career, and even in small part, to her marriage and Catholic faith. However, a miracle occurred. A one night stand resulted in a beautiful little girl. A little girl that, at her age, rarely occurs naturally. God knew she wanted to end it, but God had a different plan in mind. Sharon smirks as her infant daughter smiles in her sleep, her father's smile.

She knows she must figure this out on her own.

Sharon starts the car finally and pulls away from the parking space, continually spinning the rings on her finger as she leans back and drives with one hand on the steering wheel. Hearing the oldies ring tone on her phone, she picks it up, bringing it to her ear without looking at the caller identification, "Captain Sharon Raydor."

"I go away for a while and you haven't the least bit of decency to even call me and tell me you had a baby? I had to hear it from Andrea Hobb's office!"

"Gavin." She grins, "I was wondering where you have been."

"No one even called me!"

"I apologize. I was a little busy at the time." She smirks, "I can assure you, there were no ulterior motives."

"Are you home now?"

"It was a few weeks ago, of course I'm-"

"I meant so I can come and see that gorgeous little thing." Gavin's grin could be heard through the phone.

Sharon smiles, "Give me ten minutes?"

"You can have all my time. I have nothing scheduled for today."

"Perfect. I think I need it." She touches the screen of her phone, disconnecting the call. Sharon can't help but grin. The ride was short home, she pulls onto her space in the street, noticing the man's car already there. She climbs out as he does the same, "I said ten minutes."

"I was already here when I called." Gavin grins, walking to her and hugging her tightly as they stand outside their cars.

"Thank you for coming." Sharon returns his hug.

"Let me help." He nods, looking into the back seat to see the sleeping infant, "What is she wearing?" Gavin slowly figures out the mechanism of the seat, lifting it from it's base.

"Hey, I like that outfit. Rusty bought it for her." She replies defensively.

"Of course he did." He holds the seat up to look at her face, "Your mother has a love affair with that boy."

Sharon rolls her eyes, "She's in love with him too, so don't bash him. Besides, that's my son."

Gavin smirks, "Like mother, like daughter." He walks toward the front door, following Sharon, "Am I allowed to wake her?"

"Not until Rusty gets home, no."

"Why?" He raises an eyebrow.

"She will be hungry."

"And you can't feed her?"

She sighs, "Fine, do what you want." She waves for him to move to the living room as she hangs her purse. Sharon walks to the kitchen, "I didn't eat, so excuse me while I heat some left overs."

"No? I thought you had a schedule." Gavin teases, slowly attempting to figure out the buckling system to release the girl from her protective seat, "Have one for everything else."

Sharon gives him a look as she sits at the bar in the kitchen, "Oh, shut up." She smirks, "I'd give for a glass of wine."

"You can't drink?"

"I got rid of the bottle out of respect." She shrugs, sighing.

"Respect?"

"Andy is a recovering alcoholic. He's been sober for thirteen years."

"You have a type, Sharon."

Sharon shrugs, "Possibly." She smirks, "At least I got it right this time."

Finally figuring it out, Gavin slowly takes the girl from the seat, "Uncle Gavin is going to buy you much better clothes. If your mother called and told me that you were here, I would have ran out that instant."

She rolls her eyes, getting the pre-made food from the microwave and returning to her seat, "And what do you plan on buying her?"

"This girl is going to be in nothing except what I can find at Neiman Marcus."

"She has grown three inches in only a few weeks. I'm sure those clothes-"

"When she grows out of them, I'll buy her more. A thing this gorgeous deserves only the best." He smirks, glancing over his shoulder to his friend, "Besides, I have no one else to spend it on. I'm an only child. Only fitting that I spend all my money on my oldest friend's child and spoil them like I would a biological niece."

"Your oldest friend?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Sixteen years is a long time." He nods.

"Good answer."

"You thought I meant your age?" He looks back to the baby, grinning when she slowly looks at him and scowls, "She has your eyes."

"The first of my children to share that feature with me, by the way." She nods, "I'm pretty proud of it."

"As you should be. It's one of my favorite features of your face." He nods, awkwardly holding the baby.

"If you drop her-"

"Hold on." He settles her in the crease of his arm, "There we go." He smiles as the girl stares at him, "I'm like her fairy godfather."

"Are you Catholic?"

"My parents are...were..." He smirks, "Something like that..."

She chuckles, "I have a feeling Andy is going to put up Provenza for it, but if he doesn't, would you want to be her godfather?" Sharon shrugs, "I have to at least let him have that."

Gavin nods slowly, smiling, "No question about it. I'll be one to her regardless." He turns on the sofa, "Who are you asking for godmother?"

"Andrea Hobbs." She nods slowly, "If it weren't for her, we may have both been dead."

He smirks, "That sounds pretty perfect."

Sharon sighs, "She looked so sad when she came by. Depressed almost."

"Well," He shrugs, "Maybe we should take her out or something."

She smirks, "You said you were talking to her office?"

"Yes, she called about hiring me for her sister...something about the sister's husband beat her and is trying to take the kids and..." He shrugs, "She was a complete and total mess when she called. I could barely understand the poor thing."

Sharon tilts her head to the side, swirling the cranberry juice in her glass, "Think I should have my guys look into it?"

"You know, that wouldn't be such a bad idea." Gavin shakes his head, noticing the girl begin to pout, "Are you almost finished eating? I think she just figured out she was hungry."

Sharon waves a hand, taking her empty dish to the sink and rinsing it out before putting it in the dishwasher, "Something to drink?"

"I'll get it, take her."

She smirks, "I do enjoy watching you squirm, Gavin." She jogs over, taking her daughter from him. Sharon sighs when the girl cries harder, sitting on the sofa. "I apologize, but I'm just going to do this here." She says loudly over the infant's crying.

"I'm uninterested either way, honey, but its sweet that you think I would be offended." He smiles, shaking his head as he pours himself a glass of water from a pitcher in the refrigerator.

Sharon chuckles a little, unbuttoning her shirt and unclasping a side of her maternity bra. "Okay." She says softly to the small girl, positioning her and helping her latch on. She releases a breath she was holding as she hears the soft sounds of her daughter's suckling as opposed to her persistent crying.

"You were right. That's what she wanted." Gavin grins, returning to his place on the sofa. He leans over, watching.

Sharon raises an eyebrow, "Yes?"

"I don't mean to..." He shakes his head, "but what does that feel like?'"

"Oh." She smiles a little, "Well..."

Rusty trudges trough the entrance and corridor, groaning he he catches sight of her feeding the baby and throws a hand over his eyes, "Just whip it out anywhere?"

"She was screaming." Sharon smirks, "How was school?"

"I started my new AP courses today." Rusty rounds the corner to the kitchen, taking his hand from his eyes as he makes himself a snack.

"How did they go?"

"Boring as hell. My teacher for English is a pompous asshole." He decides on an apple, sinking his teeth into the yellow, shining flesh.

"Usually are when you're that smart." Gavin smirks, nodding.

"Rusty, I don't know if you've ever met my friend Gavin Baker." Sharon nods, pulling a baby blanket from the back of the sofa, "Gavin, this is my son Rusty."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Baker." Rusty calls from the kitchen, "I'll shake your hand when she finishes feeding Kate."

"I understand. Please, sweetie, call me Gavin. Mr. Baker was my father's name." The man nods.

He rolls his eyes, nodding slowly, "Okay, Gavin."

"Sharon has told me so much about you." He rises from the sofa, walking over to the boy and extending his hand.

Rusty smirks, shaking his hand, "All of it absolutely terrible, I'm sure." He teases.

"All of it." Sharon calls out, smirking.

"Oh please, if it weren't for you, she'd be simply miserable...and unbearable." Gavin smirks.

"Okay." Rusty nods slowly, tossing the apple core into the trash, "I've got homework." He picks his back pack up, walking to his room as he shields his eyes from her.

"What a heart breaker." The taller man turns slowly, then motions to her, "You almost done?"

"This isn't something I can just speed along." Sharon shakes her head, glancing to him over her glasses.

Gavin pouts, taking his seat once more, "How have things been with Andy Flynn?"

"Things have been..." She adjusts the baby to the other breast, "He asked me to marry him."

"Did he?" He grins, "That is exciting."

"I said yes and he bought me this gorgeous ring, but..."

"No, no 'buts', honey. Where is the ring?" His eyes search her hands.

"I um..."She swallows, "I can't bring myself to take these off."

"What?"

She holds her hand out, showing him the thick golden rings, "I've worn these for thirty-two years."

"Yeah, but you don't always wear them." He shakes his head.

"I don't at work. That's all though."

"Why don't you wear them at work?"

"The diamond is a bit...large. In today's amounts, it could easily cost as much as six month's salary for some of them." She sighs, "Charlie came from old money. He never had to want or go without in his life. I think it was his downfall."

"You don't wear them because you don't want to upstage them and cause them to think poorly of you." He sees through her ruse quite easily, "You do wear them because well...well, they are comfortable."

"Yes."

"Can't you put them-"

"I can't...I'm not ready yet."

"Sharon, listen, sweetie." Gavin leans forward, touching her knee, "I'm sure you have plenty of necklaces. Wear them as a charm." He sighs, "Andy Flynn has put up with your insecurities for a while now. You owe him that ring on your finger."

"I owe him more than that." She glances down to her daughter as she finishes, pulling her shirt over her exposed flesh. Sharon picks the girl up to her shoulder, patting her back gently, kissing her head, "A lot more than that."


	4. Chapter 4

Few days pass and they had hardly spoken. He couldn't speak to her. Obviously something was wrong with him since she hadn't trusted him in the least. Andy Flynn slowly pulls open the top drawer of his desk, smirking when he sees the small bean bag he had kept the past few years. It was the moment he realized there was more to this woman than she let on. Of course he remembered her from the meetings, but this was different. He picks up the bag, rubbing his thumb over the coarse cotton texture. He swallows after a few minutes, slipping it into his pocket. Flynn slowly turns off each one of the things before walking to the parking garage. He picks up his phone from his belt holster and calls a man he had come to trust with his deepest thoughts.

"Hello?" The man answers.

"Jim. It's Andy." He climbs into his car.

"Hey man. It's been a few weeks. How are you? How is Sharon?"

Andy nods slowly, "She had the baby. We named her Katherine Alice. We call her Katie."

Jim chuckles, "Sounds great." He shakes his head slowly, "I couldn't believe it when you told me the first time, man. I'm so happy for you."

"Yeah, thanks." He leans back in his car, "I thought about having a drink last night."

"That sucks, man. What happened?" Jim instantly connected with Andy. He had served in the war of Vietnam and had fought for peace ever since. Jim has always been mellow, a perfect fit for Andy's hot-headed nature.

Andy takes a deep breath. "When the baby was born, I asked her to marry me. I didn't have a ring at the time, but she said yes anyway. I finally bought a ring, had it specially made, actually, and she won't wear it."

"Why not?"

"I don't fucking know." He shakes his head, "I honestly have no idea. She was saying something about her ex-husband and him only being dead a few months and how it would upset her daughter..." Andy shrugs, "I think the girl knows. She's not stupid. Plus, there's a kid as proof that Sharon moved on a while ago."

"Have you told her any of that?"

"I shouldn't have to."

"No, of course not." Jim shrugs, "But you have a kid together. She's spending all her time with that kid. She might not know...or get the hint. Know what I'm saying?"

He had never thought of that, "Yeah..."

"She's still on maternity leave, right?"

"Few more weeks left of it, yeah."

"When my old lady had our youngest boy, she barely knew what day it was, more or less anything else. All her attention was on that kid." He nods, "Know what helps?"

"No, what?" Andy listens intently to the man.

"Take her out on a date. Ask someone to watch the baby and just take her out." Jim chuckles, "Easy as that."

Flynn smirks, nodding, "Ya know, that doesn't sound half bad." He shakes his head, pausing to think for a moment, "Actually, I've never actually taken her out before."

"What?"

"It's always at work or at her house. We'd stay in and order out. We had to keep being together a secret, but now that there's a kid between us, no one is fooled anymore." He smirks, sitting up in the seat.

"Sounds like hell."

"It was, especially when you want to take someone that beautiful out to show them off...Show people you managed to get this gorgeous woman." Andy grins, "That's what I'm going to do. Thanks, Jim."

"No problem, and Andy?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't drink, even if your ass is falling off." Jim smirks as he disconnects the call.

Andy nods slowly, driving back home. He walks into the door of the bungalow, glancing around, "Shar?"

"In here." Sharon's voice wasn't yelling, or even loud.

He follows the sound, smirking when he takes in the sight of his daughter and girlfriend, cuddled next to one another on the bed, "Hey." He whispers.

She smirks, her eyelids heavy as she glances to him, "You're home early."

"There hasn't been anything which...I don't know if it's good news or bad news." Flynn shrugs, "I was thinking about something."

"Like?" Sharon listens, lying there with her arm under the girl's head.

"What night is it that Rusty doesn't have chess club?"

"Tomorrow. Why?" She adjusts her head, rubbing her cheek against the pillow to move hair that was tickling her face.

He slips his hands into his pockets, nodding, "Let's go out."

Sharon furrows her brow, then raises one, "Go out?"

"Yeah, you know, dinner...and dancing?" He smirks, "Never actually been out before. She can stay with Rusty and...we can have our first date."

The woman giggles softly, "Andy, we're too...deep into this for a first date."

"I don't think anyone is too deep into anything to have fun...to show how much you love someone." He sighs, glancing toward the window before looking back to her and how beautiful she looked lying there with their daughter, "Do you not want to go?"

She stares at him, "Of course I do, Andy, it's just Rusty only has that one night a week to come home, do his homework, and veg out." Sharon shrugs, "What if I call Andrea or..." She shakes her head, "I don't know, Gavin maybe?"

"I have a better idea." He nods slowly, "I know just the person." Andy walks from the room.

Sharon gently slides her arm from under her daughter's head, making sure the girl is secure before she follows him, "Who?"

Flynn is already on the phone, "Louie...yeah...No, I didn't get any Dodgers tickets. Hey, could you watch Kate tomorrow night?"

She opens her mouth to say something instead waving her hand for him to stop.

"No, Sharon doesn't mind. I know Liz has been asking." He smirks.

Sharon stops, gently placing her hand on her chest as a soft smile breaks across her face.

"Yeah, I'll tell her to handle it. Thanks, Louie." He disconnects the call, locking the phone into its holster, and looks to the woman before him, "Well?"

She shrugs, shaking her head, "I have nothing to wear for a date."

"I guess you should get on that then." Andy leans forward, wrapping an arm around her slender waist and planting a kiss onto her lips.

"It's been over thirty years since I've been on a date."

"Don't tell people that, they wouldn't believe you." He smirks.

Sharon giggles softly, looking into his eyes a moment before leaning into him, needing his warmth against her own. "I don't like disagreeing with you...I don't like not talking to you."

"Me either. That's why we need this." Andy glances down to her before pressing his lips against hers again, "I want to show you off."

She blushes slightly, seen more that she was without makeup while being confined to her home with her infant daughter, "Show me off?"

"You look beautiful, Sharon. You always do."

Sharon sighs, leaning her head against his chest, "I look a mess. I smell like baby spittle, my hair couldn't be messier, I have no makeup on." She shakes her head, "I do not look beautiful."

Andy smirks, "Can I show you how beautiful you look?"

She tilts her head to the side, smirking, "Yeah, alright, but when the baby cries, you're getting her. I want to take a shower."

"Absolutely." He leans down, kissing her neck softly, "We could do this in the shower...kill two birds..."

She quickly nods, taking his hand and leading him to the shower.

Andy walks past her and pulls her with him, into a kiss as he backs her up against the tile covered walls. It had been months for them. He didn't want to hurt her or the baby when she was pregnant, sure old wives' tales, but he didn't want to take the chance. He needed her in every way lately, and he never knows why.

"God, Andy." Sharon breathes into his ear, gently pushing the jacket from his shoulders and tossing it to the side, her fingers move to the buttons on his dress shirt.

Andy smirks, kissing her as she fingers the buttons of his shirt, "I think you need this too."

She nods, "I'm a woman."

"Yes, you are." He nods, trailing his lips to her jaw.

"Women have needs."

"Mmmhmmm." Andy slides them to her neck.

"And those needs must be met on a regular basis or said woman goes crazy." She pushes the dress shirt off his shoulders, "You deal with that one." Sharon motions to his white undershirt.

Andy chuckles, pulling it over his head. "And you?" He takes his pants off, tossing them near his jacket.

Sharon nods, removing her own button down silk top, then her maternity bra, and placing them delicately to the side, as well as the jeans that hugged her body in all the right places. "It's been months, Andy." She walks past him, turning on the water to the walk-in shower.

"Yes, it has." He tilts his head to the side, watching her every move. The sway of her hips, the muscle tone of her thighs, "You've been exercising?"

"Walking in the mornings." She turns to face him again, shrugging, "Lifting our very large daughter." She smirks, "That's all."

"Well, you look amazing."

Sharon rolls her eyes, "Come on." She reaches her hand toward him to walk into the shower.

He follows her intently into the very close quarters, backing her against the wall once more as he kisses her deeply, his tongue slipping into her mouth against her own.

She smirks, knowing it is best to let him have his way with her. She trusted him in that way.

Andy trails his lips to the front of her neck, causing her to tilt her head back. He smirks as they glide to her collarbone, hearing her hiss. "Trust me?"

"With my life, Andy." Sharon's voice hinges, closing her eyes. She brings her hand to the back of his head, gently raking the nails through his silver hair. The other hand reaches to his growing manhood, pressing her palm against it.

He groans, smirking, "Shar." He whispers into her ear, pulling his head back to look her in the eye.

"It's been months." She swallows, the water cascading around them. Sharon leans in, kissing him gently.

Andy gently lifts her thigh to his hip, stroking it softly. Thin and muscular. They were one of his favorite attributes. She worked on them via walking and jogging and he loved watching her do so. Leaning into her more, he kisses her mouth deeply. He couldn't get enough of her. Never could.

"Don't wake the baby." She hisses, their closeness needed for her as well.

"That will be your problem." He reaches a hand down to her warm opening, slipping a finger inside as his thumb presses against her button. Her body tenses ever so slightly, causing her to almost jump. Andy can feel her and smirks again, "Relax."

"I'm trying."

"Really." Andy's lips press against hers as he slides himself into her, picking her other leg up around his waist and using the tiled wall of the shower for leverage. The hot water of the shower causing the bathroom to steam quickly. He rocks his body gently with her, keeping his lips against hers to keep her quiet.

Sharon breaks the kiss for a moment, putting her head over his shoulder as she remains at his will, a low, throaty moan escapes her lips, causing him to smirk and increase his pace. His hips pushing against her own, which she willingly accepted and returned the favor. It wasn't beautiful, it was never beautiful between them, but it felt amazing.

He places his hands on either side of her head, dipping his face down to her breast, gently kissing across them. His hips never cease in their rocking into her. Andy notices her breath begin to increase and it causes him to grin. Her nipples raw, thanks to the suckling of the daughter they shared.

"I'm...I'm close." Sharon mumbles.

"Me too." Andy moves, quickly taking hold of her hips as his animalistic tendencies begin to take over. His anger and frustration not helping his intention of being gentle. Her body light as he bounces her on him more. He moves a hand to her mouth when he hears her rev up to scream in her climax. Andy lasts a minute more, wrapping his arms around her as he climaxes hard within her. Leaning his head against the wall as to catch his breath.

"You said you'd be easy." Sharon's chest rises and falls, catching her breath as well as she stares at the ceiling. Her legs still wrapped around his waist.

"Sorry, I..." Andy glances up to her, "I'm sorry..."

She shakes her head, slowly lowering her legs from him. Sharon places a shaking hand on his cheek, "We need to wash up...quickly. Kate will be up at any time."

"Really, Shar-"

"It's okay." She looks him in the eye, "It's okay." Sharon nods her head, pecking the corner of his mouth as she hands him his bar of soap.


	5. Chapter 5

Rusty moves around the kitchen, Kate Flynn tucked comfortably into his arm. "We are going to make your parents some dinner or some shit." He smirks, "How does that sound?" He chuckles a little with the girl looks up at him with her large green eyes, "Do we even have food here?" He opens all the cabinets.

"Kate?" Sharon runs out from the bedroom, yelling for her daughter, only to stop short in the kitchen and throw a hand to her own chest, "Rusty." She exasperates, "I thought..."

"You thought what, exactly?" Rusty smirks, "We had a half day."

"Understandable." She leans against the refrigerator, her hand shaking over her chest.

"Hey." He glances to her, "You alright?" Rusty moves closer to the woman, "You were asleep and she was looking around the room...thought maybe you could use the nap."

"That's all I do anymore is nap."

"No, you also get up to complain about napping." He smirks.

Sharon rolls her eyes. "Actually, I needed to get up anyway. I have to get ready for this date."

"Date?" Rusty raises an eyebrow, "Um..." He glances to Kate in his arm, "Isn't it a little late for that?"

She smirks a little, "Possibly so, but we have never actually been on a formal one, so..."

"It was always just...ya know..."

Sharon glances to him, leaning her head down to give him a look, "I do not believe that's any of your business."

"I'll take that as a yes." Rusty snorts, as he steps back, looking at all the cabinets, "We have no food."

She stands next to him, "No, we do not."

"I have an idea."

"Yes?"

"How about I go to the store, take Kate with me, you can get ready."

Sharon starts to shake her head, "We aren't going until later."

"Sharon, you know you can trust me with her. You need to get ready, I need to eat. It's a win win." Rusty nods, "Am I watching her later?"

She glances to him before shaking her head again, "No, I wanted you to have the chance to relax. You only have one day during the week and I thought maybe-"

"You know none of that matters when it comes to her."

"Andy called Lieutenant Provenza. He and Liz Provenza are going to watch her." Sharon places her hands on her hips, "I'm not...I'm not exactly too sure about it."

Rusty snorts, smirking, "He acted like such a girl when you had her. He was probably more excited than Lieutenant Flynn." He shrugs, "Brought a balloon and everything-"

"There's backstory behind that balloon."

"Yeah?"

She nods slowly, "Andy was attacked one time...stabbed pretty badly, beaten up. The whole ordeal required a hospital stay. The only balloon that was available in the gift shop of the hospital, right before it closed, was one that said 'It's a Girl' in big pink lettering. They still tease one another about it to this day." Sharon smirks, "He kept it."

"Lieutenant Flynn was stabbed?"

She glances to the boy, "Yes, but he recovered. Just like he always does." Sharon nods, glancing back to the cupboards, "I have cash in my purse. Think two hundred will be enough?"

Rusty chuckles, shaking his head slowly, "Plenty."

"Good." She smiles, "I need to rummage through my closet-"

"Go buy something new."

"What?"

The boy shrugs, "He's seen all of those things. Whether it be in your closet, or on your body...or on the floor. You should step it up for him. Give him a show."

Sharon contemplates it for a moment before nodding slowly, "You're right...okay."

"So I'll take her with me and watch her until Lieutenant Provenza is available to take her." Rusty smirks.

"Are you sure you can handle her at the store?" She runs a hand through her hair, pushing her long hair back.

"She doesn't move. She doesn't walk. She stays in one place and babbles. What do you think could happen?" He gives her look, "And while I'm...What did you think happened to her when you came running out here not long ago?"

Sharon shakes her head, "I don't know." She starts laughing to herself, "I have no idea...could have crawled away."

"She doesn't crawl."

"I know that!" She shakes her head, walking away from him, "I'll get her changed and into her seat for you."

"Just pull the clothes out. I'll handle it." Rusty nods.

Sharon pauses, turning to look at the young man, "I don't expect you to-"

"I do it because I want to." He adjusts the girl so that her head is comfortably on his chest. Rusty walks past her to his bedroom where the baby's clothes are stored, "Now, are you going to pick something, or am I?"

Sharon smiles softly, pulling out an adorable outfit. One from the large amount Gavin provided her. "She has a wardrobe more expensive than mine."

"Yours and mine combined." Rusty smirks.

"Exactly." She tosses the clothing onto the bed, with a fresh diaper, "Are you sure you've got it?"

"You act like this is my first time doing any of this for her." He shakes his head, "I've got it." Rusty sits on the bed, gently putting the girl in front of him. He laughs to himself as she squirms with a smile. "I'm in charge now. You are going to hate that when you're older."

Sharon watches him a moment from the doorway. Stark contrast to the angry teenager she took him a little over a year ago. She grins to herself, "You have my cell phone number, right?"

"Have I called you before on it?"

"Yes."

"Then let's assume I have it." Rusty nods slowly, waiting for her to leave from the doorway, he glances over before looking back to the small girl, "Someday, I'll tell you how I got to be your brother, but that isn't for a very long time, you know? It's at least PG-13 stuff."

Sharon stands against the wall, hearing his conversation.

"You need to know now, and I'll tell you so when you have all that hormone stuff going on, like...when you're my age. You need to know that she's like...the best mom ever. She can be strict...she likes rules, but there are rules for a reason." Rusty smiles, "Flynn isn't so bad either. You just got lucky, I guess."

She brings her hand to her chest again, tears in her eyes, completely touched. There were some things Rusty would tell her to her face, but when it came to compliments and his true emotions, he was terrified. The only person he'd ever tell was the one who couldn't talk or tell anyone about it. Sharon clears her throat, "Rusty, if you need me, call me. I'm running to Nordstrom's." Slowly, she grabs her purse, slipping her cell phone inside and picking up her keys, "If you need me, call me. I mean it."

"Have fun." Rusty shakes his head, smiling to the baby again who reaches for his nose.

Sharon walks to her car, pulling out a barrette from her purse and gently pinning her hair back before climbing inside her car. She takes a deep breath before looking at herself in the mirror without any makeup. She arches her lip a moment then shrugs. "I should have taken a before and after. No one would believe it." She says to herself, giggling she starts the car.


	6. Chapter 6

After receiving the call that Louie Provenza had arrived home and Rusty had left to take Kate to him, she knew Andy wouldn't be too far behind. Sharon nervously adjusts the red, form fitting sheath dress that falls a few inches above her knee. "Give him a show." She mumbles to herself, thinking back to what Rusty had said to her earlier. She carefully paints her lips with a brush, a muted tone, not far from the color of her actual lips. Her black eyeliner causing the greens of her eyes to pop.

"You look amazing." Rusty smiles, standing in the doorway.

Sharon turns quickly, "Yeah?"

He nods slowly, "I'm glad I got to see you. I was going to go straight to my bedroom."

She smirks, looking down at herself, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, but wait." Rusty walks quickly to his room, pulling the nude pair of heels from the bottom of his closet and taking them back to her, "Remember when you went to my school and yelled at my teacher for forcing me to make a family tree?"

"Yes...that was a long time ago. When I fainted." Sharon tilts her head to the side.

"I um...I knew your shoes were expensive and the heel broke when you went down." He offers the pumps to her, placing them on the floor near her.

She smiles softly, "And you've been hiding them for this long?"

"I fixed them." Rusty nods slowly, "They looked really nice on you and I kept forgetting about them. I figure you need something to...make him wild."

Sharon slowly slips her feet into the shoes, picking one up as she looks into her full length mirror, "They look better now than they did before."

"I may have shined them up a bit." He nods, smiling.

"Thank you." She gently wraps her arms around the boy, kissing his cheek, "You're almost taller than me. When did that happen?"

"I'm seventeen. I'm still growing. Few more years before I stop."

She nods, "Okay." Sharon holds onto him.

Rusty glances down to her, wrapping his arms around her just as much, "You've been...acting weird lately. You okay?"

"I'm fine." She nods, "We're going to look at colleges soon and...I am really going to to miss you, Rusty."

"I'm not going far away. We talked about this."

"Yes, we did. Still." She smiles, "Not to mention this whole ring thing and not leaving the house much...I don't know."

He listens to her, absently rubbing her back as she continues to lean against him, "Are you depressed?"

"I wouldn't call it depressed."

"Okay." Rusty pauses, looking down at her, "Deeply introspective with a slight dramatic flair."

"Rusty-"

"Look, what is the big deal? You aren't getting rid of the old rings. You aren't demonizing them. You are moving on.". He tilts his head to the side to look at her, "You already have in your day to day life, why can't you with that fucking ring?"

Sharon swallows, "You're right."

"I usually am." Rusty smirks.

Flynn stands at the doorway, "Am I interrupting something?"

Rusty moves so the other man can't see her, "She will be ready in a minute and it will be very worth it." He glances to Andy, smiling as he walks away. "Okay." He nods, "Are you taking a purse?"

She motions to the silver clutch that was resting on the bed.

"Your phone, keys, badge, money-"

"And gun, yes." Sharon smiles, stepping away from him to look at herself in the full length mirror once more, "Are you sure I look okay?"

Rusty nods slowly, "Go out there and see for yourself." He smirks.

Sharon slowly slips Andy's ring onto her finger before walking from her bedroom. She looks at the man as he absently taps on the back of the sofa with his fingers. She clears her throat.

Andy turns his head, standing slowly, "Oh my God, Shar...You look..." He smiles, shaking his head, "Breathtakingly beautiful."

Sharon turns her head back to look at Rusty who was standing at the door. She grins when he gives her a thumbs up, then glances back to the man, "Thank you. You clean up pretty well yourself."

"I try." He steps closer to her, taking her hands, "Reservations are at Combination..." Andy pauses looking to her hand which felt different in his. Catching sight of the ring, he smirks, "Thanks."

She smiles in return, "I was ready." She whispers.

Andy leans in, kissing her lips tenderly. "Yeah." He nearly has tears in his eyes as he folds her arm into his, "I hired a driver."

"A driver?" She smiles, as they walk past Rusty to the front door, "What for?"

"Sometimes, when things are important, ya like to feel like it is." He nods, "I got you flowers...that's why I was a little late. I put them in a vase in the kitchen."

"What kind?"

"Orchids." Andy smirks, "They were beautiful when I saw them...they reminded me of you."

Sharon blushes, "They're my favorite flower. My mother used to have them around the house all the time when I was young."

"I didn't even know that." He shrugs, nodding as the driver opens the door for her and he gets in on the other side. Andy waits until the man closes the door, "Have I told you how incredibly amazing you look?"

"Several times." She smirks.

"Well, I mean it each time." He takes hold of her hand, bringing it to his mouth to kiss her knuckles.

"This is a Sushi restaurant, right?" Sharon watches him.

Flynn glances to her, "I don't know. Is it?"

She nods slowly, "You do like sushi, don't you?"

"To be honest, I've never had it before."

"You've never had sushi?" Sharon smirks, "In your entire life?"

"Not that I can remember, no." He glances to her, "Why is this such a surprise to you?"

"I don't know, to be honest. You just seem like a man that would be cultured in such things." She tilts her head to the side, "Or had taken one of those young things you used to date to a sushi place."

"Those young things only ever ordered a salad."

"Well, luckily for you, I love sushi and I am not a young thing."

Andy waves his eyebrows, "No, you are not." He leans over in the seat, kissing her deeply, "I'm glad you're wearing my ring." He whispers against her lips.

Sharon smirks, glad she wore her non-smearing lipstick, "If we're going to do this, may as well jump in with both feet."

"Yeah." He smirks.

"I mean, Andy, Las Vegas isn't very far from here-"

He raises an eyebrow, "You go from not wanting my ring on at all to wanting to marry-"

"I don't want to doubt myself anymore. I don't want Kate growing up with parents that aren't married. I didn't think it would bother me so much, but it does." Sharon stares intently into his muddy brown eyes, "I don't want any fanfare. Something that's just us. I love you, I don't want it ruined by family members who are less than accepting of us."

"Slow down." Flynn nods, taking her other hand, "Just slow down, okay? We'll do whatever you want, but we can't tonight. Let's just...have this date and then...then celebrate."

"Celebrate?"

"That damn ring on your finger means that you're willing to do all of those things. Reno is four hours from here. Next week we will go." He nods slowly, "Okay?"

A smirk breaks across Sharon's face as she leans in to kiss him with a nod, "I want to do it before I go back to work. I'd feel more comfortable."

"Are you changing your name?"

She shrugs, "I think having two Flynns in one office may get a little-"

"Good point."

"So, I'm not entirely certain what I plan to do." She slowly slides from the vehicle when her door is opened by the chauffeur, Sharon continues the conversation when they walk together again, "I could take your name, but remain as Raydor professionally."

"Like actors?"

"Yes, it may actually work."

"Not to mention confuse the hell out of everyone."

"I will be glad to wear rings to work again." Sharon grins.

"I want you to. Not with the messy things through. Last thing I would want is for you to lose it." Andy tucks her arm into his as they're escorted to their seats, "Sykes made these reservations. Said her friends have been talking about it since they've opened."

"Oh?"

"Dinner, elegant music, dancing." He glances to the woman on his arm, "The girl is alright. She's been coming into her own."

"I'd hope so, she's been there for a year." She nods, walking into the secluded area, "This is nice."

Andy smirks, "Girl did good." He pulls her hand as she slides into the booth, then moves to his own side, reaching his hands over the table to hold hers.

"Amy did very well." Sharon nods slowly, taking one of his hands as she looks through the menu with the other, "I'll order."

"Why?"

"Because you don't know what any of this is." She shakes her head slowly. When the waiter arrives to the table, Sharon orders for the both of them, knowing exactly what he'd like. Handing the menus over, she looks back to Andy, "How was work?"

"Weird without you there." He smirks.

"That's what they all say. Then when I come back, you will all complain once more."

Andy shakes his head, "Not at all. Taylor's been talking about an interim Captain."

Sharon shakes her head slowly, "That isn't allowed."

"He says it is and you know how he is."

"I guess I'll be coming back early then." She smirks.

"Hey now, you fought for eight week maternity leave-"

"Fuck that. A woman has the power to chose what she feels is best for her situation. For my situation, I feel it best to stick it to Taylor where it hurts...ruining his plans."

Andy smirks, raising an eyebrow, "I love it when you get angry."

"I only get angry when warranted. I'm passionate about women's rights, especially in the workplace. Fought through them my entire career. I don't like it when the situation presented is being taken advantage of." Sharon shakes her head slowly.

He nods when the food is placed onto the table by the server, "Steak?" Andy smirks, "I didn't know they made steak here."

"Teriyaki steak." Sharon nods slowly, taking the chopsticks to delicately pick up a wrapped roll.

Andy makes a face, looking at her plate, "What the hell is that?"

She places a hand over her mouth as she chews before answering, "Crab roll." She points to another section, "These are shrimp, and these are Tuna."

"All the seafood then?"

Sharon rolls her eyes.

The dinner goes off without a hitch until Andy stands and offers his hand to her, "Come on. Let's dance."

Her eyes grow large, "Andy, these people are easily twenty years younger than us."

"Exactly. They don't know how to dance to these standards." He smirks as she takes his hand and he leads her to the center of the room, where the dance floor is located and the band plays. Andy wraps an arm around her waist, holding her hand as she places it on his shoulder.

Sharon waits a moment before smiling as they sway, "This is nice." She leans forward, speaking into his ear.

He nods, "Told you we needed this."

"I could get used to it."

"You should. We should do it more often."

"There's a problem with that though."

"Yeah?"

"I'm kind of with someone. It's kind of serious. Know what I'm saying?" She smirks, teasing him.

Andy chuckles, "Yeah, okay." He kisses her lips softly, "There's no way you had a baby a month ago."

She shrugs, "Good genes, I guess?"

"Very good genes, indeed." He raises his brow, holding her closer.

Sharon hums against his cheek, "We should pay the bill...get out of here."

"Feeling randy?"

"Possibly." She smirks.

Andy kisses her again, tossing cash onto the table for the bill, leaving a generous tip. Bustling out of the restaurant, he holds her hand as he walks toward the car and chauffeur he had paid for the evening. They climb in and the driver takes off. Andy allows his hands to make contact with her body, gently roaming along her hip as he leans in once more to place his lips against hers.

"Wait until we get home..." Sharon pushes him away gently, smirking.

He makes a face, "I can't, Shar."

"Shit." The driver mumbles, "I apologize, people. Seems to be a police barricade up here."

"What?" Sharon leans forward to look out the front window before sitting back and rolling her window down, "Could you pull over up here?"

"We're off tonight!" Andy looks to her, "And you're...anxious." He raises his brow.

"I want to see what's going on." She shakes her head as the driver stops, "Don't worry, I'll pay for the rest of the time." Sharon smiles to the chauffeur as she climbs out of the car on her own, heels clicking, "See? Provenza is here." She motions to his car as she notices Andy following closely behind.

"What's going on?" He calls when they get closer.

"Oh no. You two are on your date night." Louie Provenza puts his hand up, shaking his head, "And it appears to be going well for the two of you."

"It was." Andy rolls his eyes.

"Lieutenant, what happened?" She lets herself under the yellow crime scene tape.

"Young woman, twenty four, found severely beaten." Sykes walks next to the woman, "You look great, Captain."

"Thank you." Sharon nods, "What makes this a Major Crime?"

"The young woman was also covered in blood wielding a knife when we found her slumped against the building." The young woman motions to where the victim was, "There was a man, late thirties, found in the alleyway over there, stabbed to death..."

Provenza sighs, "We don't know which end to make of it."

"Ambulances are on their way?" Andy folds his arms.

"Of course." He nods.

Buzz follows them with the camera, making sure to document the entire scene.

"Buzz, make sure to get a shot of the Captain looking so...un-Captain-like." Provenza teases, smirking.

Sharon rolls her eyes, "Where is the young woman right now?"

"Back of a squad car just out there." Sykes nods, pointing, "Would you like to change out of those shoes? I have an extra pair of boots in the back of my car. Might be a little big on you, but..."

"No, I'm fine. Thank you, Detective." Raydor smirks, "I'm going to go talk to her. She was alone otherwise, correct?"

"Yes, no identification, Captain. Her clothing was town when she was found and she wasn't wearing anything on the lower half of her body, the possibility of sexual assault is high. I'd advise to proceed with caution." Michael Tao sighs, nodding to the woman, "We haven't been able to get anything from her, but...you seem to have a way with people and with that dress..." He smirks.

"Okay. Okay...no more remarks about the dress. I know it's a bit much and young for my age-" Raydor puts her hands up.

"No, Captain, we mean you look amazing." Provenza doesn't look at her, leaning down to the dead body.

"I...Okay. Well...thank you...everyone." Sharon blushes ever so slightly as she turns from them, making her way to the car.

"One more thing, Captain." Louie calls out, causing her to turn, "She's still bloody and her face is still...She won't let us touch her to administer simple first aid even."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." She nods to him, walking to the car. Sharon pauses a moment before running the rest of the way.

"She can probably climb a mountain in those damn shoes." Andy Flynn shakes his head, sighing, "I was on a roll."

"Oh, get over it." Provenza shakes his head.

"Andy." Sharon leaves the car open, shouting for the man.

Flynn hears her and runs to the car, as well as a couple uniformed officers, "What?"

"It's Eve..." Sharon swallows, looking up at him with tears in her eyes as she holds the young woman closely.

"Oh my God..." Andy shakes his head slowly, pointing when the ambulances arrive, "I'll stay here. You go with her." He returns to the rest of the officers, running a hand through his hair, "Positive identification made on victim. Eve Raydor, aged twenty four. School teacher. Daughter of Captain Sharon Raydor."


	7. Chapter 7

Sharon tucks her curled hair behind her ear, still holding her daughter's hand as they dim the lights in the ER for the patients to rest easier with exception to the nurses station in the middle of it all that seems to be glowing. She wasn't moving anywhere. Leaving her purse at the scene in the back of the squad car where she found her daughter, it contained everything including her cell phone.

Andy slips into the room, holding up her purse. He offers her a smile, "How is she?"

"They did a rape kit on her... There's bruising and tearing consistent with..." Her voice wavers as she looks to the young woman, "I already collected the shirt and what was under her nails and hair." She nods, "Hospital was nice enough to let me use some of their bags-"

"Shar-"

"Did you call Rusty? Kate is going to be getting hungry soon and-" A single tear escapes her eye.

"Sharon." Andy walks closer to her, pulling her to him tightly.

"Why her? I mean...What if he had-"

"But something in you told the driver to stop. Something in you knew that you needed to be at that scene." Flynn shakes his head slowly, stroking her hair gently, "I called Rusty. He said he went to get her hours ago. Said Liz Provenza called him and told him the baby wouldn't go down for her and that Louie told her he was the expert."

Sharon nods slowly, "She's home..."

"Kate's home. Rusty looked up on his phone what to buy her. She's doing formula until you get home." He kisses her temple, "Don't worry. They're fine."

"He has school tomorrow and-"

"I think we can let him stay home a day." Andy nods, letting her cry onto his shoulder, "I called Chad too. Left a message. I don't know what he plans to do with it."

She picks her head up, "You called my son?"

"It's his sister. She cares for him, maybe he'll do the same for her." He shrugs.

"Thank you." Sharon swallows, nodding as she turns back to face her daughter, "She's broken, Andy. She's broken and I don't know how to fix it."

He sighs, "Did you find anything else?"

"Nice skin samples from under her nails, dirt and fibers in her hair, the shirt is in the bag." She sighs, "Some of her wounds look self inflicted though. She'll need impressions of those...Whether that be before or after she stabbed that man, I don't know."

"We don't know if she stabbed him and even if she did, it looks like self-defense."

"You're right, we don't know." Sharon says quietly, "Anything from the scene?"

"The man had identification on him, there was twenty dollars in his wallet. Looks like the kill was a cut to the jugular, the others were after the fact, but Morales is going to have to tell you more about that. Turns out I'm not a pathologist." Andy keeps a hand on her shoulder as she returns to her seat, "Looks like, no matter what happened, she fought her ass off."

Raydor smiles slightly, "There were defensive wounds." She nods.

"Scares the hell out of me, you know. How much she looks like you. That's what Kate will look like in a few years-"

"Twenty-four years."

"Kate will look just like that except with your eyes and...I'm still thinking about that moat."

Sharon smirks, "You hear that, Eve? He's building a moat to keep people away from seeing your sister." She laughs a little to herself.

"Nice to see you're able to laugh after my sister was attacked." A voice comes from the doorway, tall and broad chested. Chad Raydor walks closer to the opposite side of his sister's bed, folding his arms, "What happened?"

Flynn sighs, able to smell the alcohol on the young man. He sighs, "We don't know yet."

Chad glances to the other man, "Why are you even here?"

"Lieutenant Flynn is part of my team helping to work your sister's case. He's also your other sister's-"

"I don't have another sister." The young man hisses, causing silence in the room if only for a moment.

"Your other sister's father." Her voice heaves slightly as the tears return to her eyes, "I'm marrying him, Chad."

Chad shakes his head, bitterly laughing, "Of course you are."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Flynn looks to the young man.

"She cheats on my father with you, gets knocked up with you, and instead of taking care of it, flaunts a pregnancy around in front of my father when she's old enough to be the kid's grandmother. He became deeply depressed and blew the back of his head off. Because of that woman, my father is dead."

"That woman happens to be your mother-"

"Not anymore she isn't." Chad shakes his head.

Flynn reaches over the young woman, grabbing the other man by the front of his shirt and brings him close to his face, "You watch yourself. If you knew any damn thing, you'd know your father was running around on her for years and years. She was the only constant you had, kid. You smell like cheap cognac and you come in here hurling insults about things you know nothing about." He shakes his head, "Just like your father."

"You don't know my father." He snarls.

"He went to AA a few times. I saw him there. Maybe you should try it sometime." Flynn lets him go.

"I don't need AA." Chad shakes his head, "I need her to realize what family is and it isn't you or that boy or that baby."

Sharon sits on the side, letting the tears slide down her cheeks as she brings her daughter's hand up to rest against the side of her face. She looks into the young woman's face, "This needs to stop." She swallows, "Andy, give us a minute."

Chad smirks.

Andy shakes his head, "I don't feel comfortable leaving the two-"

"I'll be fine." Sharon nods slowly, "Just a minute."

"You hurt either one of them and as God as my witness, I will kill you right here." Andy glares at the other man, walking past him to sit on a seat just outside the door.

"I'm glad to see where your loyalties lie." Chad continues to smirk.

Sharon brushes her cheek with the back of her hand, "Wipe that look off your face." When he does she continues, "It was Flynn who asked you to come here, not me. I knew you would carry on like this. I know just how much you are like your father, even down to the same brand of booze."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It is. Andy thought you could be here for your sister, for your family. A family that includes Rusty and Kate, whether you like it or not." Sharon slowly stands, never letting go of her daughter's hand, "I didn't want you here."

"Of course not."

"I didn't want you here because I know how much your actions hurt Eve."

He looks down at his sister, shaking his head slowly.

"Yes, Charles Junior, they do. She wants you to get help instead of turning out like your father. She wants you to realize that Rusty and Kate aren't so bad. In fact, they're actually kind of great. She wants you to not feel like everyone is out to get you. She wants you-"

"Stop blaming mom." A voice whispers from between them.

"Eve." Sharon leans down, kissing her hair.

"She didn't pull the trigger." Eve continues, clearing her throat with a flinch, "He did."

"Because of-" Chad tries, swallowing.

"Kate is beautiful. She's happy and she doesn't care about anything else but being loved, little brother. If you opened your heart and got help, you'd love her too."

"Help? I don't have a problem to get help for."

"Yes, you do. You know you do. Until you do so, you're not going anywhere near our sister."

"I don't want-"

"Yes, you do." Eve nods slowly, "For me."

Sharon looks away from her children, a tear sliding down her cheek once more.

"Please, Chad? Just...AA? Andy can help you. He's great."

"That guy is an ass."

"No, he's got his problem under control. Been sober for a long time, Chady. You can do it too. I know you can."

Chad has always been virtually powerless over his sister, she had always meant the world to him. Especially now, in bed, in pain. He nods slowly, "AA...if I need more help, I'll get it." His voice quiet, defeated.

Sharon smiles ever so slightly, moving over to her son and hugging him tightly even though he towers over her, "I don't want to see you die." She whispers in his ear, "I love you."

"I'm not comfortable with...those kids and that man..." He slowly but surely begins to sober up. Chad lets his arm wrap around his mother. It has been months since he has shown any sort of affection toward his mother, possibly over a year.

She nods, kissing his cheek before returning to her daughter's side, "How do you feel?"

"Have they been giving me pain meds?" Eve attempts to look up at her intravenous line.

"Some...just to keep you comfortable and nothing more."

"Okay..."

"Sweetheart, Someone from my department needs to ask you some questions-"

"You can't do it?"

Shaon sighs, "I can, but I'm afraid I will be partial or get too emotional during it...I can't risk it being omitted."

"What about Andy?"

"That's who I was thinking of." She nods, "I have a recorder in my purse..." Sharon glances to her clutch that she transferred her essentials to, "In my other purse, but I can use my phone and have Lieutenant Tao or Buzz transfer the file. It's not a problem."

"Where is Andy now?"

Sharon motions to the pacing figure just outside the door.

Eve smiles a little, "Okay." The dark hues of her bruises lit brilliantly by the dim contrast of the room, "I can try, but...I don't know how much I actually...I don't know."

"If you aren't ready, Evey, it's fine. It's just the sooner the better...the more you remember."

The young woman nods again, "I understand. I want to at least try."

Sharon nods, glancing over to her son, resting in a chair next to the bed. She slowly realizes this is what they needed. As bad as that sounds, it's true. The only way to ever get through to her son was through her daughter when they were growing up. "One minute." She nods to her daughter, walking to the door, "Andy."

Flynn glances up, "Everything alright?"

Sharon nods slowly, "Eve wanted to give her statement."

"Yeah?"

"I don't want to...I can't. You can use my phone, but I can't ask her those questions..." She says softly, looking to him, "Can you?"

Andy nods quickly, "Of course. Do you want to be in the room?" He moves closer to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"I um..." Sharon shakes her head quickly, "I can't...I can't, Andy."

"It's okay." He kisses her hair, "What about Chad?"

"He's agreed to go to AA. You'll help him?"

"As much as he'll let me."

"Thank you." Her piercing green eyes filled with tears, "He's asleep...passed out, I think."

Andy sighs, "Sit out here. I'll only be a few minutes."

She hands him her phone, "You know how to use it."

He nods, helping her into the chair, "If you need me." He kisses her softly before going back into the room, "Eve."

The young woman looks up at him, "Lieutenant...Lets do this quickly...these meds are starting to ware off."

Andy nods, sitting on the bed next to the woman, "Can you tell me the date?" He nods when she rattles it off, "Your name?"

"Eve Claire Antonia Raydor."

"You have two middle names?" He smirks.

"My Confirmation name." She nods, "Mom laughs when I use it. It's all very Catholic."

"I see. Okay. What do you do for a living, Ms. Raydor?"

"I teach Kindergarten as Douglas Elementary."

Andy folds his arms, "You're doing great, Eve. Can you tell me how tonight started?"

Eve nods slowly, "I got off work and...I was supposed to have dinner with this guy...with my boyfriend..." She adjusts herself in the bed, "I only had about an hour to get ready and be there, but...I think I did alright."

"You got to the restaurant?"

She shakes her head slowly, "To his apartment."

"Can you tell me the address? His name?"

"Michael DiAngelo. Handsome as hell. Was one of those odd black hair, blue eyes combo..." She sighs, "I don't remember the exact address, The numbers, I mean. It was on Maple Street. Not Avenue...I went to avenue once by mistake and was nearly shot."

Andy smirks, "Okay. What happened at the apartment?"

Eve sighs, staring at the ceiling, "I let myself in. He gave me a key for emergencies...ya know...just in case. So, I go in and I see...fucking drugs just...just everywhere. I knew he smoked marijuana once in awhile, but who doesn't. I didn't really care about that, but I saw cocaine and meth...maybe heroine. I'm not sure. I didn't want any part of it."

"Okay."

"He was...in a suit, I think. It's... a little..." She nods slowly, "He yelled at me for coming in. I didn't...I didn't want to be there anymore, didn't want to be with him. I started to run and...he followed me...ran after me." Eve swallows, "I noticed and I changed where I was running. My car was parked just outside the ally, I thought it would be the best idea considering, but he caught up with me."

"How long were the two of you together?"

"Six or seven months...Seven because he knew dad from some...one of the bars Dad frequented. Bahama Mamas?" She shakes her head, "I don't remember the name of it. Mom would know. The one on Thursdays."

Andy nods again, "He caught up with you and then what?"

"He had crazy eyes. Something wasn't right. He tackled me and..." She swallows, shaking her head, "He tackled me and..."

"It's okay. What were you wearing?"

"Skinny jeans and...a t-shirt..." Eve shakes her head, glancing up at the man, "What happened to them?"

"I ask the questions. You can ask yours after."

"Okay."

"Did he say anything to you?"

Eve swallows, looking away from him in an attempt to think of anything, "He...I think he had a knife...He was swinging it at me."

Andy nods, "Let the recording note that Eve Raydor, does in fact have large gashes to her abdomen and chest. Bruises also cover her face. I apologize, please continue."

"That's all I remember...that's all..."

"You you participate in consensual relations at all tonight?

Eve shakes her head, "We've both been too busy...I haven't had anything in..." She pauses, looking to him, "Why are you asking me this?"

Andy sighs, "During your pelvic examination, a rape kit was performed. It showed strong inclinations that you were probably raped or participated in rough intercourse."

"It's been months." Eve whispers, shaking her head, "He raped me?"

"Looks that way." He gently takes a hold of her hand, "I'm sorry."

She shakes her head still, "It's okay...at least I don't remember, right?" She offers a sad smile, always wanting to cheer everyone else up, "I um...I don't remember anything else, Lieutenant, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. We're going to handle this." He picks up his phone, turning off the recording. "Want me to get your mother?"

Eve raises a shaking hand to her head to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, "Yeah, please...and see if the nurses can give me something for the pain."

"Yeah." He stands, touching the screen of the phone, "I'll get justice for you."

"Is uh...Is Mike okay?"

Andy shakes his head, then realize she wasn't told anything, "No, Eve...Eve, he was dead when we found him. You were holding the murder weapon."

"I don't...I don't remember that...at all." She shakes her head quickly, her hand shaking as she gently places it over her chest, "I killed him?"

"I have to be honest with you, It really does look that way. However, when they found you-"

"Who found me?" Eve swallows.

"You were leaning against a wall, bloody as hell...You were in public, people called it in."

Her chin begins to tremble and her cheeks tighten, "I don't remember...I don't remember any of that...I don't remember the cops...I don't remember the...I don't remember being brought here."

He sighs, gently taking her trembling hand as it rests on the bed, "We called for an ambulance. Your mother rode with you."

"I'm sorry...I'm..." Eve shakes her head again, "Could you ask my...I need...I need my mom..."

"Don't worry. We're going to handle this, okay?" Andy pats her hand, moving to the front door again. He waits for it to close, glancing to Sharon, "She cries like you."

"She's crying?"

"Give her a minute before going in there." He nods, "I...I told her how Provenza said she was when they got there. She doesn't remember any of it." He sighs, "I got what I could..."

Sharon nods, glancing through the glass as she stands, looking to her daughter, "Maybe it's better if she doesn't remember."

Andy nods, waiting a moment before wrapping his arms around her, "You okay?"

"I need to be in there. She needs me."

"I know." He nods, picking her head up and kissing her lips softly, "I love you. We'll help her through this together."

Sharon swallows, nodding quickly as she moves away from him and returns to her daughter.

Andy sighs, running a hand through his hair before leaving to take the phone to his technologically savvy co-workers.


	8. Chapter 8

"I don't know how she couldn't have done this." Provenza looks to the whiteboard, shaking his head, "It's an open and shut case though. She was attacked, raped. It was self defense."

"Dr. Morales sent off the labs for the dead guy. He put a rush on them." Sykes nods, "She said, in the recording, that he had crazy eyes. Is there something we can think of that would do that to someone? PCP maybe?"

"Bath salts." Sanchez nods, "That's becoming more and more popular."

"She said there were drugs present in the apartment." Provenza nods, "She named cocaine, possibly heroine..."

"We're reaching." Andy Flynn shakes his head, his arms folded as he leans on the wall around his desk area, "She said he definitely chased after her. There had to be cameras somewhere around there. There must be videos of this." He nods, "Where are we on the warrants?"

"Turns out he was married. We're trying to get a hold of his wife to inform her and ask if we can look." Amy glances to him, "It's proving to be more difficult than it should be."

"Why is that?" Provenza glances to the young woman.

Andrea Hobbs storms into the murder room, briefcase in hand, "My office was alerted someone from here had found Michael DiAngelo?"

"Sure, who is asking?"

"Me. Been trying to find the bastard for months. You found him? Is he in an interview room?"

"No." Provenza shakes his head, "On a slab in front of Morales. Why?"

"He's dead?" A slight gleam starts to show itself from her eye as she smirks.

"You seem happy about it, ma'am." Sanchez leans an elbow onto his desk.

"I can't lie. I'm thrilled." She nods, "He was my brother-in-law. Put my sister and her kids through hell."

Andy straightens up, his eyes widening, "You might just be our key to this case."

"How? I wasn't there, I don't know anything about it."

"Would you mind talking in the conference room? I think you'll be interested in this." Flynn smirks, holding an arm out to motion her to the room and follows closely behind, "Who alerted your office?"

"You guys were asking for warrants." She nods, "I was just told you were asking for some on Michael DiAngelo...I wanted to handle that myself. It thrills me that the man is dead."

"I want to have this recorded." He lets Buzz set up a quick handheld camera on top of a tripod, pointing it at DDA Hobbs.

Buzz nods, smiling to them, "We're all set."

Andy nods, noticing Provenza slip into the room and sit next to him, "DDA Hobbs, can you tell us your relationship with Michael DiAngelo?"

"He was my brother-in-law." The blonde nods slowly.

"And he was married to?"

"My sister... her name is Susan." She knew the procedure. She knew not to give more information than what was asked.

"How long were they married for?"

Andrea leans her head back a moment, counting the years, "Sixteen. For the past five years, she's been trying to..."

Andy puts his hand up, "Can you tell me more about what he was like?"

"For a while, he was a great father, I thought." She nods, "Then he started being abusive...bringing people around that Susie didn't want near her kids, know what I mean?" Andrea sighs, "I think he started getting into drugs."

"Like what?"

"I don't know exactly, but we knew he was on something. He was erratic, angry, when at first he was mellow and relaxing. Tranquil almost. The holidays were...Well, they turned into something just terrible."

"I see." Andy nods.

"Going back to what you said before, what has your sister been trying to do for the past five years?" Provenza picks his head up, talking with his hands a little.

"Trying to get away." Hobbs swallows, "Every time she would go to a friend's house, or to my house or my other sister's...he'd show up and she would go with him. She had to. She knew she'd...she knew something bad would happen if she didn't. She feared for her life. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place."

Provenza nods, "Do you know where we could get in touch with her?"

"She's at my apartment with her kids." She nods.

Andy nods, "Cut the camera."

Buzz nods, pressing the button on the back of the handheld, "We're good."

"I think we need your help." The man leans onto the table more, "This...it gets a little close to home again."

"How so?" Andrea shakes her head.

"The person we caught at the scene happened to be the Captain's daughter."

"Captain Raydor?"

Andy nods, "Eve Raydor. Signs of rape were very clear. How she was found and what she remembers are very different. Something happened to her and whether it was this DiAngelo or someone else who did it, we're going to need to find out."

"So, you're telling me, that Eve Raydor killed Michael DiAngelo." Andrea nods.

"Yes, that's what it looks like. She was holding the weapon, half naked, cuts and bruises." Provenza folds his arms.

"If his toxicology report comes back that there were drugs in his system, this is an open and shut case. If his...seamen..." She shudders slightly at the thought, "Was found on Eve Raydor's person, this is open and shut case. If none of those are present, we may have a problem."

Provenza shakes his head, "How so?"

"She could have killed him, then grabbed the knife and..." Andy shakes his head, "That doesn't explain the signs of rape. Some of her wounds look like they could have been self inflicted, but not all, certainly not the beating of the face. There could have been some confusion once she got the knife...I don't know. There could have also been a third party involved, we just don't know. We can't assume anything except for what we're presented. I'm not taking this back to my girlfriend, know what I'm saying?"

Hobbs sighs, "As much as I'd like to handle it-"

"Don't...Andrea, please don't-"

"I should recuse myself from handling this." She swallows, looking away as slight tears form in her eyes. Her sense of honor always greater than her sense of self, "I want to...would you let me talk to the Captain before..."

Andy nods slowly, running a hand through his hair, "I'll give you her information." He stands, glancing to Provenza before walking through the conference room door.

"Before you decide, please, go and have a look at the girl." Provenza nods, "You're only a go between. The shots aren't coming from you. This may be..." He glances to the woman, catching her eye, "I know this is tough. What is right for you and what is right for this girl...We're getting to the bottom of it. We're close. I can promise you that. Listen to that tape. Listen to her interview." He sits back in the seat, knocking gently on the table absently, "She isn't lying. There's not a single harmful bone in her body."

"I have to play Devil's Advocate sometimes, Lieutenant. You know that." Andrea Hobbs nods, "I hate it. I hate this case. If it starts to look..." She waves her hand a little, "If it does, I'll recuse myself and give more time. I can't do that to the Captain...I won't do that to the Captain."

Provenza nods slowly, "Thank you, DDA Hobbs."

"I'd like to listen to the recordings before I go there...I want to know what I'm going into." She nods, "Would that be okay, Lieutenant?"

"Of course." He nods again, standing, "I'm sorry about Flynn. It's hard on him."

"I understand." Hobbs shakes her head slowly, "With the baby and now this..."

"I completely forgot about the baby." He sighs, "Damn. I should see that the kid is getting to school."

"She's staying with Rusty?"

"Yeah. I think so." Provenza nods, "I'll talk to Flynn about it. See if I could help any."

"I could as well. I love my sister and times are tough, but I'm sure quiet time with a responsible teenager and an infant would probably be preferable to some rambunctious kids running around my apartment. Know what I'm saying?"

"I know Captain Raydor trusts you." He smiles, "I'll put a good word in for you." Provenza watches the woman, knowing she felt a bond with the infant she helped the Captain birth.

"Thanks, Lieutenant." She smiles.

"I'll go get Tao to set things up for you to listen to the audio recording of Eve Raydor's interview." Provenza stands, nodding to Hobbs before slipping through the door.

Andrea Hobbs waits a moment, leaning her head back and releasing a long contained happy sigh. Finally, her sister could rest easy about her safety and the safety of her children. Possibly, she'd get to help someone else more and see Katherine Flynn. Possibly.


	9. Chapter 9

Sharon Raydor slips into her modern bungalow quietly. She'd been at the hospital with her eldest daughter, Eve, for what seemed like forever. Placing her hand over the switch, she slowly turns up the light to the living room, it was clean. She smiles, nodding to herself. Sharon moves to the kids' room, opening the door slowly to see Katherine, her youngest child, huddled up to Rusty's arm as they lie in bed together, sleeping.

It wasn't a late hour. Probably eight. She hadn't been home in a few days, using the hospital's facilities in order to stay close to her daughter. She knew how much the girl needed her, but she knew how much Katherine and Rusty needed her as well. Sharon moves closer to the bed, pulling the covers over Rusty better, running a hand over his sandy blonde hair. She smiles slightly, noticing her daughter more, dressed in her simple pink, one piece pajamas.

Rusty notices the brightness from behind his closed eyes of the hallway light. He opens them, turning his head to see Sharon standing above him. He smiles, tiredly, "Hey."

"Hey. Go back to sleep. I was just checking on you." Sharon whispers to him, offering a slight smile.

"Just...wait a minute. I'll be out in a minute." He nods.

She sighs, returning to the hall and walking to the living room. Picking up the remote to the stereo, she sets it to only play in the living room and the kitchen. The Planters. Something relaxing. She sinks onto the sofa. It's nice to be home.

Few minutes later, Rusty silently closes the door to his room, leaving it cracked open ever so slightly in case the baby were to wake. He walks to the living room, sitting next to Sharon, "How is she?"

Sharon shrugs, "She's um...she's in a lot of pain." Her voice cracks ever so slightly.

"Did you think she wouldn't be?"

"I don't know what to think anymore." She shakes her head, swallowing, "I'm sorry I've left you here alone with Kate."

"She's my little sister. I'd do anything for her. It's not even a big deal."

"Your school work though-"

"My school work is able to be completed on the computer, which I've been doing. I've dropped off papers here and there."

Sharon looks over to him, "What do you do with Kate when you do that?"

"I take her in with me. Did you think I left her in the car or something?" Rusty smirks, shaking his head, "No. I told Sister Alexander what was going on. She understood."

"You told her I haven't been home in days?"

"No. I told her about Eve being hurt and in the hospital. Kate won't go with just anyone during the day. I told her you come home at night." He gently wraps an arm around her, missing her presence and her personality around the house, "I wouldn't give you up. I'd never do that."

Sharon nods, tears forming in her eyes. She gently lies her head on his shoulder, "Thank you."

"You should eat. There's lasagna in the fridge. I made it earlier in the week so I wouldn't have to worry about food all the time. I'll probably make something else tomorrow."

"I'm not hungry."

"You should eat though. Don't need you passing out."

She picks her head up, looking at him incredulously, "I did that one time and I was pregnant. Now, you pick on me about it every chance you get."

"Because it's funny." Rusty smirks, "Wasn't funny at the time, but it's funny now."

"Thanks a lot." Sharon hugs onto him, putting her head on his chest, "I really am sorry that I haven't been here." She says softly.

"Eve needs you. Kate's fine right now. Snores in her sleep, but she's fine. I'll put up with it because she's pretty." He nods, "Sometimes, you deal with what needs to be dealt with first. When Eve gets out of the hospital, is she coming here?"

"Where will she sleep?"

"I'll hit the sofa while she's here. I don't care. I want her to get better."

"That's very nice of you, Rusty, but I couldn't do that to you."

"Why?" He holds onto her, knowing she needs it, "She's my sister too, right? That's what siblings do for one another. We take care of one another."

"I'll talk to her about it. They want to release her within the next couple days. They've mostly been keeping her for psych consults...doctor's follow ups. If she thinks she's there because of injuries, she's less likely to ignore her appointments."

"Can't say I've ever heard of that."

"Eve is a teacher. She always canceled doctors' appointments citing her job as her reason. If they keep her and make her think she's there for a larger reason, she'll participate." Sharon nods, "I told them about her doing it. They knew how to keep her there."

"When will she go back to work?"

"When she's comfortable. I think I may go to her job to-"

"It was on the news. You don't have to."

She picks her head up a little, "It was on the news?"

Rusty nods slowly, "They didn't tell much, just who was involved and a hotline for witnesses."

Sharon shakes her head, putting it back down. She smiles, listening to the soft music, "I wish they didn't do that. She's going to hate it."

"She doesn't need to know, Sharon."

She swallows, "Everyone needs to know when people are going to judge them."

"No one is judging her." Rusty shakes his head.

"Yes, they will. She was attacked. She was...They're going to treat her like some kind of...damaged goods."

"Worry about it when it happens." He sighs, hearing the baby start to cry. "She's probably hungry. Want me to get her or do you want to handle that?"

Sharon smiles a little, sitting up, "I'll get it." She touches his shoulder as she walks past him to the room her daughter shares with the boy.

Rusty smiles, glad the woman he referred to at times as his mother was home. He missed her immensely.

Sharon turns the light on in the bedroom on the lowest setting, seeing her crying daughter on the bed, surrounded by pillows. She smiles, "Hey, sweet girl." She coos, picking the infant up and kissing the medium brunette peach fuzz growing on her head, "I have missed you so much." She slowly unbuttons her blouse, exposing her engorged bosom with a click of a cup of her bra. She had been pumping for the girl when Flynn remembered to bring it to the hospital, able to get two full bottles when he would. Rusty would use the formula for the other times. Sharon attempts to help the girl latch onto her, sighing when she continues to fidget. "Come on, sweet girl, Mommy is sore and you're hungry. We help eachother out with this. You know that." She feels her own hand beginning to shake, "Please." She whispers, pleading. Tears spring to her eyes once more.

Rusty hears the ordeal, turning off the stereo. He walks back to the bedroom, not caring about the sight of the woman's exposed breast before him, "You okay?"

"She um..." Sharon shakes her head, "She doesn't want me."

"That's not true. Just relax, alright?" He walks in more, "Katie, chill, alright?" He snorts when the baby tries to look for him because of his voice alone, "Chill." Rusty nods, "Try again, Sharon."

The woman glance up to him quickly before looking back to her daughter, trying again for the girl to almost instantly latch on, "She only does it because you're here."

"We've gotten closer. I'm the only one she's seen the past few days. It happens." He shrugs, "Don't think about it so much."

"I have to though. I've been neglecting her."

"She was not neglected."

"That's not what I mean..."

"She was fine. She'll snap out of it again, alright?" He nods, sitting at the foot of the bed, his back turned to her for some privacy, "Just...don't be some nervous. She's not dumb. Katie knows when something is wrong. She knows when you are angry or upset."

Sharon smiles to the girl, wiping the corner of her mouth when a drip of milk falls from it, "No...she isn't dumb, is she..."

"Is Eve in ICU?"

"No."

"Well, you know how much she loves her...maybe she might want to just cuddle with her. I mean..." Rusty shrugs, "I read online that it can help people who are ill. Dogs, babies...cute things. People like to cuddle with cute things. Since Katie is Eve's sister, it may be easier to get her past hospital staff."

Sharon swallows, glancing up toward him, "Kate doesn't like me very much. She isn't going to want to willingly go-"

"She's like...a month old. She can't really argue with you about it. Just bundle her up and go. The more fuss you make about her presence, the more she'll complain." He nods, smirking, "Much like both her parents."

She reciprocates his smirk before laughing to herself, causing the baby to jump, "Sorry." She calms herself stroking Kate's hair, "You're right, Rusty. Maybe it will help her."

Rusty smiles, "Take her tomorrow? See what she plans on doing. Like I said, I don't mind taking the couch. Lived there for the first few weeks, if you remember. It's comfortable."

"Of course I remember." Sharon nods, "I yelled at you."

"I needed it. I was a jerk."

"I always felt bad for doing it. Did you know that? You were hurting and afraid and the only thing I could do was yell at you."

"That's not how I saw it." Rusty shakes his head, "You showed me that you meant business...I wouldn't still be with you if it weren't for you yelling at me."

Sharon looks up at him again, "Really?"

He nods, "Sometimes it takes something to get you out of the slump you're in. Just...shake ya out of it."

A few more minutes pass and she picks the girl up to her shoulder, hooking the cup of her bra back on the snap, "You'll help me get her ready tomorrow?"

Rusty smiles, "Yeah. Where's Andy?"

"Sitting with Eve...I didn't ask him to, he just told me he would."

"To get you to come home." He nods.

"I guess you're right." Sharon rubs the girl's back, kissing her temple, "And you think Eve will like it?"

"I think Eve will love it." Rusty smiles, turning to face her, "She was nice to me when she came over before. She didn't have to be. The way she looked at Kate was just...she loves her. A lot."

"Okay."

"I'd ask to come with you, but I think it'd be better if it were just you and Kate. I'll visit later tomorrow."

Sharon picks her hand up to stroke the baby's hair again, smiling slightly, "Thank you, Rusty. I'm going to make this all up to you."

"I'm sure you will." Rusty nods, walking to the other side of the bed, "You should just lie in here tonight. Kate sleeps longer in bed than in the crib. We've gotten used to just..." He shrugs, "So, why don't you go put on your pajamas and come sleep."

"It's still early." Sharon yawns.

"Yeah, well, you're tired. The circles under your eyes say otherwise."

"I have circles?"

"Yes, so enjoy going to bed so early." Rusty pauses, "I don't think I've ever said that before."

"You haven't." Sharon grins, nodding as she puts the girl down on the bed, "I'll be right back." She walks to her bedroom, changing into a pair of sleep pants and one of Andy's t-shirts from college. She returns to find them both already asleep on the bed. Sharon nods, slipping in next to them and wraps her arms her sleeping doctor, almost as if she were holding a teddy bear. This was the best teddy bear in the entire world.


	10. Chapter 10

Andy Flynn sits next to Eve Raydor's bed, scrolling on his phone. He smiles when Rusty sends him a picture of Kate and Sharon sleeping with the baby holding onto her mother for a change. He chuckles to himself.

Eve jumps a little at the sound of the man's throaty outburst. She swallows, "You just scared the crap out of me."

"Sorry, kid." He looks up to her, pressing the button on the phone before slipping it into his pocket, "You alright?"

"Ya know, I am really...People come through here, people mom works with, people I don't know, nurses, doctors, Dad's sister came the other day and...That's all they ever ask me."

"Well, what do you want me to ask you?"

She shrugs, "I have no idea...nothing maybe. Think they have hot tea here?"

"I can ask for you if you'd like-"

"No, just stay here." Eve shakes her head, "You know, we've never really had the chance to just...talk. You and I."

"No, I guess we haven't." Flynn shakes his head, "If you don't want me asking questions of you, why don't you ask some of me? The ones your mother would be pissed at if you asked in front of her." He smirks, nodding so she'd know what he was talking about.

"Okay." She nods, thinking for a moment, "How long have you been sober?"

"Thirteen...almost fourteen years." He nods, watching her. He picks up a can of Shasta one of the nurses gave him, opening it and taking a sip.

"Mom said you had other kids...I've never heard you talk about them. You don't see them much, do you..."

Andy shakes his head slowly, "Sadly, no. I was very cruel to their mother when we were together. I was still battling my addiction at the time. She doesn't like forgiving people."

"How long has it been?" Eve turns to her side, watching him.

"Little over a year." He swallows, "I don't talk about them often because it hurts to think about them and how I'm not able to see them."

"They're younger though. Couldn't you get some kind of custody thing going? Visitation?"

"I could, but I think it would only strain their mother's opinion of me, which is already negative to begin with." Flynn nods slowly, "Boy and a girl, just like your mother. One is seventeen, the other is nineteen. I've been divorced...sixteen years, maybe."

"I see." Eve offers him a smile, "Now it's your turn to ask me a question that my mother would yell at you for asking."

"Okay." Flynn nods, "Why don't you come around more often?"

She nods slowly, adjusting herself on the bed, before answering, "A few months before Kate was born, I found out I was pregnant. It was um...Mike DiAngelo's...of course." Eve nods, "I didn't know he was married or anything like that. We had been going out a month or so and I found out." She swallows, "I was so happy. I was over the moon. Mike was too."

"What happened? They didn't say you were pregnant here..."

"About twelve weeks in...almost twelve weeks...I had a miscarriage. It was..." She shrugs, tears coming to her eyes at the mere thought, "It was really hard for me. I would go to work, come home, eat and sleep. That was it. I didn't want to leave the house, but Mike would come over and take care of me. Hold me in bed and...He was great."

Andy shakes his head slowly, "I'm so sorry, Eve. I didn't know."

"No one did...no one except Mike and I...no one needed to know. Not my mother...no one."

"How long before Kate was born?"

"A couple weeks..." She smiles as tears stream down her face, "My mother...my mother was old enough to be a grandmother. That's why I won't go to lunch with her and Kate. I'm afraid someone will make a comment about it. Not that I'm embarrassed for you or mom, but...I can't hear it without...without thinking what could have been." Eve bites her lip, "I can't look at Kate without seeing what my own child could have looked like."

"I understand." Flynn nods, gently reaching over to take her hand, "You should have told your mother though. She thought you were pissed at her."

"You can tell her if you want. I don't...I don't have the strength for it." Eve shakes her head slowly, "You're the first person I said anything to who wasn't directly involved with the conception. Thank you, Lieutenant Flynn."

"You're allowed to call me Andy."

"Well, thanks." She swallows, clearing her throat before she pushes back the emotions a bit to smile at him and continue the questions, "So...back to you...What's your favorite food?"

"I really like Chinese food. Chicken and broccoli. Your mother hates when I have it, for obvious reasons." He smirks.

"That's gross." Eve smiles more.

"Yeah, well..." Andy shrugs, "What about you?"

"My mother can't cook...but she did try to follow a recipe for homemade soup once. It was Italian Wedding Soup, I had told her I tried it at a friend's house and that I like it a lot. I remember being in high school and needing to read the recipe to her in order for her to perform the actions of the prep. For something that was supposed to take all of, I don't know, twenty minutes...it took almost three hours. We were starving by the time this thing was supposed to be done, but Mom worked really hard on it and I didn't want to hurt her feelings by opening a bag of chips." Eve smiles, thinking back to it, "So we're sitting there, waiting longer and longer and longer still. She goes to the stove and opens the lid to this pot...mind you, we've been sitting there for what seemed eternity, and here she never turned the stove on."

Andy laughs out loud, looking at her as the girl laughs with him, "Are you kidding?"

"No. We called out for Japanese and I made her promise she'd never cook without someone else present again."

He leans down, laughing so hard, "Oh my God, that sounds just like your mother."

She nods slowly, "So, when she told me Rusty could cook, I was thankful that she may actually be able to put something in the fridge for leftovers that wasn't in a take-out container."

"What about you? Can you cook?"

"Believe it or not, I'm actually a pretty fantastic cook." Eve smiles to him, "My grandmother was...still is. She taught me everything I know."

Andy nods, "Well, maybe you'll have to come cook with Rusty some time. You can give one another pointers."

"I didn't know he cooked."

"How do you think we eat around there?"

She smirks, "I thought for sure it was pizza every night and Chinese."

"No. Rusty told Sharon to never turn the stove on without he or I present because she burnt biscuits or something once, so he cooks. I do once in awhile, but I'm usually busy. Your mother still has a few weeks before she's due back."

"That's good. I can't wait to get back to my class..." Eve nods.

Andy pauses, looking her in the eye, "Don't you think you should take a week or two?"

"No because it will only give me time to think about what happened and I...I don't really want that." She shakes her head, "If I just...if I go back and delve right in like nothing happened-"

"You still have bruises and cuts on your face, Eve. Makeup can only cover so much." He shakes his head.

"It's okay...I'll tell them I was in an accident or something..." She shrugs, "I have to go back. I just have to."

Flynn nods slowly, "I understand. Really, I do..."

"Has there..." She pauses, "Has there been any progression in the case?"

"I can't really talk to you about that. You're still considered a suspect rather than a victim." He sighs.

Eve nods, offering a sad smile, "I'm just a killing machine. Don't you know? Any chance I get, I'm killing whatever I can...mosquitos, a sandwich, even hit a butterfly with a bat once...I may have cried a little about it, but I'm sure they'll use it against me in court."

Andy smirks, "You done?"

"Yes."

"DDA Hobbs said there's no doubt in her mind that this was self defense. It doesn't look like it will go to trial." Flynn shakes his head slowly, "You didn't hear that from me."

Eve smirks, squeezing his hand, "Thank you."

"You better get some sleep. I'm staying right there...on that luxurious cot that the hospital so graciously provided-"

"Andy, you don't have to do that." She shakes her head.

"Yes, I do. I don't want you to be alone."

"You're my mother's boyfriend."

"Yes, I am, but sooner or later, I'll be her husband. You will be my stepdaughter. I'd do anything for my family." Andy nods, "So you get some rest and I will too."

Eve's face softens, "I'll be glad to call you my stepfather some day."

"Some day." Flynn smirks.


	11. Chapter 11

"Tao, were you able to get anything from those tapes?" Louie Provenza stands in front of the Murder Room, looking to the man in question.

"Not much, No. Seems they've been meaning to replace the cameras because of a very fuzzy picture, however, I was able to make out someone running and I'm sure with more stripping and screening, I'll be able to get a bit more. Buzz, will you help me with that?" He glances to the man, "Maybe we'll at least be able to obtain some audio. Screaming, running footsteps, anything..."

"Was there anything in that alley way?"

"Here's where it gets interesting. There was a video cameras posted in the alley, but someone had broken it about an hour or so before things happened. It appeared to be a homeless man who threw a brick at the camera." He transfers the video to the projector in the room, "As you can see."

Morales runs into the murder room, out of breath.

"Running from something?" Sanchez smirks, sitting back in his seat.

"I have great news." He puts his hands on his knees, catching his breath a moment before standing up again to look about the room, "I have a lot of news, actually. Michael DiAngelo was the one to sexually assault Eve Raydor. There's DNA and things...he did that." He nods, "However, she was not the one to kill him."

"What? How?" Sykes sits up in her seat.

"You guys said she blacked out. She remembers running outside and she blacked out. Am I correct?" Morales nods.

Hobbs walks in from the elevators, smiling to the group. She notices Morales talking, "Sorry." She sits at Flynn's empty desk.

"Yes, Doctor Morales, you're correct, but there were a lot of stab wounds on the dead guy's body, defense wounds on Eve's body, and...What happened?"

"Michael DiAngelo's head was hit with a large, blunt object...at least twenty minutes before any stabbing was inflicted on him." Morales smiles, "He was dead. The only reason she had his blood on her is from the wound to the head."

"So, I don't have to make Eve Raydor an offer?" Hobbs smiles, folding her arms as she sits back in the chair.

He shakes his head, "Going back to what I said, there was definitely some struggle, I found scratch marks, heel marks."

Tao nods, "The skin samples found under Eve's nails were a match to DiAngelo."

Morales continues, "There's nothing saying she wasn't attacked, fought for a while, and passed out from the experience of the thing. People in that part of town are oblivious to anything that isn't related to them. They wouldn't have had to see it. There were no lights in that alley."

Provenza looks to the board and the pictures of the weapons, "She passes out, he rapes her, someone comes along and hits him in the head with..." He pauses, "A brick. The homeless guy." He points to the screen, "Maybe he saw everything and tried to save her."

Sanchez smirks, nodding, "He hits DiAngelo in the head, killing him, and runs away. Meanwhile, Eve wakes up, notices her clothing ripped and her pants missing. Grabs his knife and goes to town. She was traumatized by it. She was in shock when I gave her my jacket and helped her into the car. Wouldn't let me administer first aid or anything."

"I can get a clear picture from this video." Tao smiles to him, "This guy deserves a medal."

"Just a medal? He deserves a day in his honor, and a parade." Hobbs nods, "No one is at fault here except DiAngelo. Am I correct in my understanding before I call my boss?"

Provenza nods, "I'll call Flynn."

Andrea smiles, pulling out her cell phone.

"We still need to find the Homeless guy though." Sykes glances to the older man, "If we don't find him, this won't work."

"I know that." Provenza nods, "Sanchez, Sykes. Go see if you can find him. I'm betting he'll be back around there because it's probably his home. Buzz go on with them."

"Yes, Sir." Sykes nods, pulling on her jacket before walking toward the elevators with the other two men.

Provenza touches the screen of his phone, bringing it to his ear.

"What the hell do you want?" Flynn was able to see on the screen who was calling via a dopey picture of Provenza that Rusty had set it to.

"We solved the case."

"That was quick."

"Eve didn't kill DiAngelo. It was a homeless guy that lives in the alley where it took place. He used a brick."

"Was he the one that hurt her?" He hushes his voice, rolling away from facing her in the cot.

"No, that was DiAngelo, but she was more than likely unconscious when he did it. Homeless guy comes in and hits him in the head with a brick. The guy saved her, Flynn."

"Find him then." Andy smiles, "I want to shake his hand." He turns a little, noticing Eve was looking at him.

"Alright. How is she?" Provenza was intrigued by the young woman the moment he saw her.

"I'm sure she'll be feeling a lot better now." He nods, "Busy in there?"

Louie shakes his head with a smile, "Not really. Just sent the younger ones out to apprehend the guy. I'm going to make sure he's treated well."

"Don't start questioning him until I get there."

"No, you stay with the girl. I've got this."

Flynn shakes his head, "Please. I have to do this...for Sharon."

Provenza sighs, "Want me to call you when he gets here or-"

"I'll be there in twenty." Andy touches the screen of his phone, disconnecting the call.

"What happened?" Eve blinks, still watching him.

"It wasn't your fault." He sits up, running his hands through his silver hair, "You didn't kill DiAngelo."

"What?" She sits up slowly.

"He's the one that beat you up...hurt you, but...there was a homeless man in the alley. It looks like he saved you. Hit DiAngelo in the head with a brick. He died from blunt force trauma, not stabbing."

Eve puts her fist up to the air, pulling it down as a look of relief floods over her face, "I'm not a violent person, Lieutenant Flynn. I hope you know that."

"I never thought you were from the beginning." Andy smirks, noticing the young woman mimicking her mother's common reaction to achievement, "I want to be the one to talk to him. This guy who saved you."

"Of course...I wish it could be me." She can't help but smile.

"Well." He stands, looking toward the nurses' station, "Let me see about that."

"I have nothing to wear." Eve watches him walk toward the door, "I can't go to your work without anything to wear."

"What is it with you women always needing to be dressed to the nines?"

"You could run me by my apartment."

Andy turns to look to her, "You've barely gotten out of that bed and you think you can do what...leap tall buildings in a single bound?" He folds his arms, shaking his head, "It's going to hurt. It's going to hurt a lot."

"I just...I want to go and see him. I want to see Michael and I want to see this man. Please, Lieutenant."

"Your mother is going to kill me, you know that right?"

Eve smirks, "It wouldn't be the first time she's wanted to." She pushes herself up, pulling down the side rail of the bed to throw her legs over it, "I can muster through."

Flynn sighs needs to leave early and how they need her at the police station. Of course, the nurses comply, talking to the doctor and quickly releasing her with a pair of scrubs, a stack of care instructions, and a handful of scribbled prescriptions.

"Do I look like I should be sentenced to a correctional facility to you?" Eve smiles to the man after changing her clothes.

"For the mentally insane." He removes his sports jacket, draping it over her shoulders, "It's cold out and you aren't wearing shoes."

"I'm wearing slipper socks." She pauses and wiggles her toes.

Flynn shakes his head, smirking, "You're also a little high."

"And I have a prescription for more." Eve talks with her hands a little, holding his arm as they walk, "I'm fine. We can get them later."

He sighs, shaking his head, "Your mother is really going to kill me."

"Nah. I'll tell her not to kill you. You're Katie's father and Mom loves you a lot. Too much to ever kill you."

"Well, she's going to be pissed." Andy gently lifts her into his arms as they reach the sliding glass doors of the hospital, "It's too cold for you not to have shoes."

Eve leans onto him more, appearing small in his arms, "To my apartment to change...maybe wash my hair..."

"Anything else?" He replies sarcastically.

"Am I even allowed to wash my hair?"

"You have care instructions, you figure it out."

"It soaks up water like a sponge. I have huge hair." Eve signs.

Andy shakes his head, gently placing her into the car, "This is a terrible idea." He signs, buckling her, and closing the passenger door behind her.


	12. Chapter 12

"It's going to be a good day." Sharon calls as she walks through the bungalow, "Coffee is on, Rusty, Bread is toasting." She peeks her head through the opening of his bedroom entrance.

"Why are you waking me up so early?" Rusty grumbles, turning over.

"Because you're going to school. If you want to go for a half day, I can write you a note, but you have to go for a little bit." She nods, walking back to the kitchen, pulling out a packet of oatmeal. Sharon grins to the baby seated in her simple bouncer on the kitchen island, "Come on." She calls again, pulling her sleeve back and checking her wristwatch, "You have forty-five minutes to shower, eat, and be out the door in order to be to school on time."

"Seriously?" He calls, slowly thumping toward the bathroom.

"I am very serious." Sharon nods, smiling to her daughter again. "Today will be a good day, little one." She lets Kate hold her finger, "We're going to the hospital to visit your sister and you're going to behave as babies do."

Rusty hears Sharon's line of comments and chuckles to himself as he turns the shower on. He removes his clothes and washes away the sweat from the night before. Dreams of his life before this one haunt him regardless of what he accomplishes each day. He quickly gets out, changes into his uniform, and jogs to the kitchen, "How much longer do I have?"

"Plenty of time." Sharon sits at the island, next to Kate, eating her bowl of oatmeal, "I made you toast." She motions to his plate, "Flynn found you a jar of apple butter."

"He did?" Rusty grins, sitting at the end of the island, smiling to Kate, "You're doing great with her, by the way."

"I've decided that...I need to stop pushing her off on you so much." She nods, "It's not fair to you."

"It doesn't really matter. I like it. We hang out." Rusty smiles, "Just...don't cut me out-"

"Rusty, that's not-"

"I...It's the first time I've ever been able to be a brother and I like being a brother. I like it a lot. So..." He shrugs, "My friends think it's funny when I take her places and put her in baseball hats and the girls...have I mentioned the girls I get with her?"

Sharon rolls her eyes, leaning back a little, "You know what I mean, Rusty."

Rusty smirks, taking a bite of the apple butter smothered toast, "This is so good." He offers the piece of toasted bread to the older woman, "Take a bite."

"Where did you even hear of this stuff?" She leans in, biting the bread and smiling, "That is really good."

"Jake's mom is from the east coast. She lived on a orchard. Her parents still live there and ship it to her all the time. I tried it when I spent the night there." He nods.

"Very nice. I'll have to tell Andy to buy it more often."

"Where did he even get it?"

"I have no idea. I didn't ask any questions." Sharon waves her hand in the air, smiling, "Now, finish up, you can be there a little early. I hear it reflects well when you haven't been there for a stretch of time." She replies, sarcastically.

"I am." Rusty smiles, finishing his toast, he leans in, kissing her cheek before grabbing his bookbag and running to the door.

"Have a good day." Sharon calls after him, finishing her bowl of oatmeal, "Now, Kate. Today is a girls' day. You and I are going to visit your sister and see when they're going to allow her release." She smiles to the baby who watches her every movement with her large green eyes. Sharon cleans up from breakfast, slipping the plates and glasses into the dishwasher. She lifts her daughter from her seat, "Come on, little one."

The baby rests her head against her mother's chest, curling her body to fit against the woman's slim frame. Knowing it is her mother based strictly on her smell. This was comfortable for her. A part of her wishes her mother would do so more often.

Sharon smiles again, kissing the top of the girl's head. Lying her on the unkept bed in the room she shares with Rusty, She chooses from some of the clothing Gavin had bought her, "Armani jeans? I didn't know they even made these things for people your size." Sharon shakes her head. She bathes the baby and then dresses her, making sure to keep her insecurities to a minimum as to not cause the infant to panic. She selects a headband and stretches it onto the girl's head. Tilting her head to the side, she smirks, "Perfect."

The ride to the hospital was uneventful, but things were okay. The baby didn't cry, or even whimper. Sharon considered it an achievement. Removing the infant seat from the car, as well as the diaper bag, she enters the hospital with a grin on her face. She steps to the room her daughter had been held in for days, only to see that it was empty and the bed made. Sharon swallows, thinking the worst. She stops a passing nurse, "Excuse me, where...where is Eve Raydor?"

"Who is Eve Raydor?" The young man places his hands on his hips.

"The girl who was in this room. My daughter. Where is she?"

"Oh." He nods, smiling, "She was discharged."

Sharon furrows her brow a moment, "She wasn't supposed to be discharged for another day or so."

He shakes his head, "A police officer said she was needed at the station. She was fine, as you know."

"You people were keeping her for psych consultation." Feeling the anger start to rise in her, she hears the baby whimper, "What was the officer's name?"

"Um...if you give me a second, I can find it out for you." He starts to walk toward the nurses station.

"Please do." Lifting the car seat up so her daughter is eye level with her, "You're okay." Sharon places the baby's pacifier into her mouth, "We have to find Eve." She says softly.

"Mrs..." He tilts his head toward her, fishing for her name.

She walks closer to the man, "It's Captain Sharon Raydor of the LAPD. Who was my daughter released to?"

The young nurse swallows, looking back to the computer in front of him, "The officer's name was Lieutenant Andrew Flynn of the LAPD. Do you know him?"

She laughs a little to herself, what was happening? "I do, very well. Thank you very much." Sharon turns on her heel, pulling out the phone from within her pocket and dialing Flynn.

Andy sits in the young woman's apartment, picking up his phone from his pocket when he hears his girlfriend's ringtone, he touches the screen and brings it to his ear, "Hello, beautiful."

"Don't you Hello Beautiful me. What the hell did you do with Eve?" She clicks the infant's car seat back into the base, located in her car. Sharon closes the door and stands next to the car, "What gave you the right to-"

"She wanted to leave, Shar. She hated it there."

"Of course she hated it there, Andy, no one likes their stay at a hospital." She raises her voice, "Where is she?"

"She wanted to go to the office. I may have waved my badge around a little, but she is the one-" Andy attempts to explain.

"Why does she want to go to the office?" Sharon shakes her head.

He pauses, "Provenza didn't call you?"

"No, Provenza didn't call me."

"She has been cleared, Shar. She didn't kill that guy. The guy who did kill him, did so to protect her."

Sharon gives a sigh of relief, bringing her hand to her chest, "She should be at home, resting."

"She's just like you, you tell her that." Andy grins, sitting back on the posh sofa in Eve Raydor's living room of her condo.

She smiles slightly, "Is she okay?"

"She's pretty high right now, so she feels no pain." He tilts his head to the side, seeing the girl through her open bedroom door. She had her pants on and her bra, the wounds to her midsection bright and angry. He tilts the phone up, "Do you need help, kid?"

Eve slowly glances over to the man, "No, I...I think I've got it."

Sharon smiles, hearing them, "Thank you, Andy. Let me know when you get to the station?"

"Yeah."

"And call me if you need me to get her?"

"Okay."

"And take her to our house when you're finished there?"

"Anything else, Sharon?" He smirks.

"No, I um...I thought something bad happened to her." Sharon bites her lip.

Andy smiles, "She wants to thank the guy who saved her life. That's all. I won't let her stay much longer than that."

"Okay." She swallows, glancing through the back seat window to her now sleeping daughter, "Let her know the plans."

"I will." He smiles.

"Kate is all dressed up." Sharon smiles a little, "We were going to make a day of it."

"Bring her to the office in a little while. Hobbs will probably be there, It was her brother in law after all."

"It was what?" She shakes her head, "You need to tell me everything when we get to the office...I'm too out of the loop."

"I'm sorry, I will." Andy nods, "You need to talk to Kate too about things."

Sharon didn't really know what he was talking about, but nods anyway, "Okay."

"Love you." He touches his screen of his phone, disconnecting the call. Andy stands, moving to the bedroom, "She wasn't as pissed as we thought she would be."

"You haven't seen her yet. It was just a phone call." Eve leans a hand against her chest of drawers, "Can you help me with the bandage?" She motions to the large bandage and wrap on her bed.

"Yeah, sure." He nods, doing as asked, "I was stabbed once. He took a nice slice out of my abdomen. Hurt like hell."

"Is that supposed to be reassuring to me?" She tilts her head to the side with a smirk as she watches him.

"I'm just telling you. Your mother wants you to stay with us a few days...however long you would like."

"My apartment works perfectly well."

Andy looks her in the eye, "You're going to need help. Stay until you think you feel better, but just take my word for it. I wouldn't lie to you."

Eve swallows, absently nodding.

He nods, finishing her wrap. He helps her with her t-shirt that she had lying out. "You may be stubborn like your mother, but the real strength comes at knowing when to concede defeat...to accept help. It doesn't make you weaker, Eve."

"There won't be any room at Mom's for all of us."

"Yes, there will be. I want you to stay there, Rusty too. Said he will take the couch so you and Kate can have the room. He insisted on it." Andy grins, "Okay?"

Eve nods again, "I won't stay long."

"However long you need to...I mean it. You are always welcome into our home. All of our kids are."

"You have kids too, Andy? Besides Kate, I mean."

"I do. A boy and a girl. Like your mother. They are both around Rusty's age. My son is the older one though."

"See? I didn't even know that." Eve leans in, carefully hugging the man, "Thank you for not being an asshole, Lieutenant Flynn."

Andy can't help but chuckle, rolling his eyes, "Well, you're very welcome."

"I mean it."

"So do I. When you aren't as high as a kite, I'll tell you about this. Hopefully you will get a laugh out of it and not be completely...I don't know...that I saw you in your bra."

"I don't care." She pouts slightly.

He smiles to her, "Are you sure you still want to go?"

Eve nods slowly, "Think I can wear heels?"

"Maybe next time." Andy grins more, going to her closet, "What shoes do you want?"


	13. Chapter 13

Dark, the lamps throughout the street light the way. The heavy footsteps of her sneakers help her keep time in her head. She can hear her own heartbeat, but it's almost relaxing. Thump, thump, thump. Rhythmic. A trail along a wooded area. Relaxing to her, yes, but if it weren't for the lights that sat along the trail, it would be pitch black. Sharon Raydor, all of twenty two, takes a deep breath, the smell of the trees always relaxed her. She closes her eyes for a moment as she runs, opening them, she sees a dark figure along the path, boding. Sharon tries to run past him, telling herself to ignore him. The thumping of her shoes is met with the thumping of others. She glances back to see the large figure following her. She tries to run faster, but it only seems to be making her slower, and slower still until finally the large figure catches her.

Stumbling into the apartment she shared with her husband on campus. She rushes to the shower, turning on scalding hot water and removing her clothing. She stands beneath it, burning her pale flesh, only to take the washrag resting on the soap holder on the wall to scrub herself until her hands were beginning to bleed. Angry that she could allow something so sinister to happen to herself. How was she going to be a cop?

Sharon Raydor sits up abruptly, noticing the sunlight peeking through the blinds in the living room. She had fallen asleep on the sofa. She swallows, glancing to her infant daughter still sleeping in her car seat. Sharon adjusts herself on the sofa, placing a hand over her chest to calm herself. She picks up her iPhone from the coffee table, scrolling through it to see if there were any messages, one from Andy, letting her know they were finally at the station.

She stands, moving to the kitchen and making herself some tea. Sharon holds her hand out, noticing it shaking. She balls it into a fist, and flexes it open, hearing the front door open and close. The common trudge through the hall and the crash of Rusty's canvas bag hits the floor, "Quiet, Kate's sleeping." Sharon says quietly, loud enough for him to hear from the hall.

Rusty walks to the kitchen, which he was accustomed to doing every day after school. He stops when he sees her, "What happened to your girls' day?"

"Things came up, she was released."

"And..." He looks around, "Where is she?"

"With Andy. There was a break in her case. She wanted to thank the man who saved her." Sharon offers him a smile.

"That's great." Rusty nods slowly, "So why do you look like you've just seen a ghost?"

"Oh..." Sharon quickly shakes her head, putting her hand on her hip, "I'm fine. I was napping and...I had a bad dream, but I'm fine now. No big deal."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." She offers him a smile. "So, how was school?"

"Sister Alexander was really nice to me. Maybe too nice." He shrugs, sitting on a stool at the kitchen island, "She said it looked like I was ahead on my studies and she was really surprised. Said maybe watching the baby was a good thing for me." Rusty smiles, "She wanted me to ask you if I could take her into school in a few months for Family Life."

"Oh, is that what they're referring to sex ed as now?"

He nods, "She was going to make everyone do the whole bag of flour thing, but said I'm excused from the project."

"Why is that?" Sharon tilts her head to the side.

"Because it's a responsibility thing and since I took care of Kate for days, she says I can be excused." He smirks, "I'm not complaining."

"I'd rather you did all your assignments, but I guess it's fine." She nods, "After I finish this cup, I'm going to change her diaper, feed her, and then we're heading over to the Station. You're more than welcome to come with us. I hear the whole family is over there." Sharon teases.

Rusty raises an eyebrow, "I'd take you up on that, but I have some math to catch up on." He smirks, opening the fridge.

"Of course you do." She smiles, shaking her head. Sharon washes the mug from her tea and tends to her daughter, doing as she said she would. The groggy infant stretches, watching her mother the entire time. She moves her legs around and smiles to her. Sharon grins, "I've never seen anyone wake up so happily."

"She always does that. If she sleeps in bed with me, she usually slaps me in the face to wake me up." He laughs to himself.

Sharon chuckles, "Slaps you in the face?"

Rusty nods, "When she wants something, she needs it right then and there or she isn't happy." He snorts, "Sounds like someone else I know."

She rolls her eyes, "I don't slap people for things."

"No, you pull guns on them...or do that weird...mind thing."

"I do nothing of the sort." Sharon glances to him through the corner of her eye, "Make me sound like some kind of bitch."

"I didn't say you were a bitch. I'd never say you were a bitch." Rusty watches her.

"Bitch isn't necessarily a bad thing either." She smirks.

He rolls his eyes, "Whatever. I'm sure you'd like to slap people."

Sharon nods, "More than you know." She smiles, "When I go back to work, I'll probably send her to the daycare."

"All day?" Rusty makes a face.

"What's wrong with all day?"

"That's a long time for her, isn't it?" He tilts his head to the side, "Can I pick her up after school...or after club when I have it?"

Sharon glances to him, "You can do whatever you want, just make sure you let me know when you do. Don't do it if it will be too much, Rusty."

"I won't, I won't." Rusty shakes his head, putting his hand up, "Do you need me for anything?"

"Like what?"

He shrugs, "I don't know. Anything for Kate?"

"I've got it." Sharon smiles to him, "Thank you, Rusty."

Rusty nods slowly, "Okay." He stalks to his bedroom. Maybe Sharon didn't want him anymore. Everything in her life was changing and it wasn't just the two of them anymore. Hasn't been for almost a year, sure, but maybe she changed her mind about him. She kept talking about him going away to college, but was she only saying it so she could be alone again? Something was very wrong, whether it be with him or in her own life.

Sharon packs the infant up once more, gently placing her into her seat. Her emotions numb. Thousands of dollars, years of therapy, thrown out the window. This can't start again. The paranoia and fear must not return. She takes a shallow deep breath before carrying her things to the car, her daughter's car seat resting in the crook of her arm. She snaps it into the base in the back seat before sliding behind the steering wheel. She pauses a moment, swallowing. She takes her phone from her pocket, texting Andy that she would be there soon.

Andy picks his buzzing phone from his belt clip, rolling his eyes. "Eve, your mother is on her way."

Eve smiles to the man, sitting in in his chair behind his desk, "Got it."

Sanchez smiles toward her, having rolled his chair over to be across from her, "So, what do you like to do for fun?"

"I don't like fun." She smirks to him, "What do you like to do, Detective?" She props her feet up on Flynn's desk.

He shrugs, "I usually work. Mostly because I don't have anything else better to do."

"That's kind of sad."

"It is." Sanchez nods slowly, "Grab a few drinks with friends, watch a game. You should come over sometime."

"You think I'd like those things?" Eve smiles.

He shrugs, "Don't know unless you try."

"Well, maybe when the bruises heal, I'll consider it."

"Hey, Sanchez." Provenza watches him, rifling through his drawers.

"Yeah?" The man in question glances over to him.

"I think I have a bandage in here for that burn you just sustained." He smirks.

Sykes giggles, clapping her hands, "Very nice, Lieutenant."

Sanchez glances to him gruffly, wheeling back to his desk.

Buzz walks over to the young woman, "Ms. Raydor, Is there something I can get you? Something to drink?"

"What's your name?" Eve looks up at him.

"Buzz."

"As in Lightyear?" She grins, "I spend my day with five year olds."

"Sure." He smirks, "Something I can get for-"

"Are you a detective too?"

Buzz shakes his head a little, "No, I work the Audio Visual department. I film the crime scenes, interviews, interrogations, etcetera."

"Then why do they treat you like a butler?" Eve reaches up, gently patting his hand, "Show me to the vending machines?"

"Of course, Ms. Raydor." He holds his arm out, letting her take it as he slowly walks her in the direction of the Break Room.

Flynn smirks, "We're letting that guy in interrogation chill out for how long?"

"I figure a couple hours. Offer him something to eat, something to drink. He's homeless. I'll get him some clothes, offer him a shower in the gym. I think he'll trust us more then." Provenza folds his arms, sitting back in his seat, "It's the only way. He saved that girl's life. It won't go without thanks."

"And if he gives us nothing? He was in Vietnam. Kept rattling off his tag number to me during the arrest." Sykes nods, "I don't know if you're going to get anything from him unless we maybe show him Eve. Huge maybe there."

"Are you saying we let her sit in on the interview?" Flynn tilts his head in her direction.

"Precisely. If we show him that what he did was a good thing, after giving him a sandwich and something to drink, he might open up more." Amy stands, sitting on her desk, "Let's get something straight though. I don't think he's going to speak to either one of you guys. I think it has to be a woman."

"I can ask the Captain to-" Provenza leans forward.

"No, I mean...and no offence to the captain, a young woman. The way Eve Raydor just smooth talked her way past Sanchez-"

"Eve is not going to commit an interview." Flynn shakes his head, "Homeless veterans almost always have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or a form of it. There's nothing saying he isn't going to flip out on either of you and what then?"

"Fine. The Captain, sure, but I still think Eve should sit in and I don't mean to watch in Electronics. I mean physically in the room." Sykes nods.

"You might have something there." Sanchez nods, "Show a man something positive he did and he'll be more than willing to talk about it. We do it all the time. We tell cop stories every chance we get when we're with friends. Maybe this is no different."

Provenza watches the young woman, then nods, "Only if Eve Raydor is okay with that."

"Okay with what?" The woman in question sits back at Flynn's desk, "Thank you, Buzz." She smiles to him before he walks back to his desk, "What do I have to be okay with?"

"Sykes thinks it would be a good idea for you to be in the room with the Homeless guy." Flynn looks down to her.

Eve glances to him, then to the rest of the room, "Which one of you is Sykes?"

"That'd be me." Amy raises her hand.

"Oh." She smiles, "Yes, I'll do it. I wanted to do it anyway, but...I didn't know how procedure worked."

"Procedure says you probably shouldn't be there. It's a great risk to your safety."

"I'm all for it then." Eve shrugs, "What do I..." She adjusts herself in her seat, "Am I allowed to talk to him?"

"Um..." Sykes glances to Provenza.

Provenza glances to Eve, "I don't see why you couldn't. Just let him answer the questions, no matter how personal they start to be. If it gets to be too much for you, just get up and leave."

"Actually, Sir, I think maybe if we ask them first, and try to get him to answer them. If he doesn't, then Ms. Raydor can come in." Amy nods, "I think it would be our best bet. We just have to wait for the Captain."

"I'll watch Kate while you all are-" Provenza moves his hand in the air.

"He plans these things." Flynn motions to the man, "Go ahead, show Eve what you got."

He gives the other man a look, "It was supposed to be a surprise."

"Fine, let it be a surprise. You will still look ridiculous." Flynn smirks.

Sharon Raydor walks in with the baby's carrier, seeing her daughter behind her partner's desk and sighs with relief, "Flynn, my office, please." Her voice steely, obviously angry.

Provenza stands, moving to her, "Let me take that for you, Captain." He waves his hand closer, taking the carrier and diaper bag from the woman before she storms off to her office, "Someone is in trouble."

Flynn follows suit behind the woman, flinching ever so slightly when she slams the door, "Am I allowed to expl-"

"You didn't call me, or text me. Didn't do a damn thing to let me know that you were going to use your title to bail my daughter out of the hospital." Sharon tries to keep her voice calm, only raising it to emphasize her points, "You have opened the department up to-"

"I did not." He shakes his head.

"You did, Andy. Any time you use your badge to get someone out of something they're supposed to-"

"She was miserable." Flynn glares, motioning with his hand, "Look at her. She's smiling. She's comfortable. I sent Sykes out for her meds and she's fine."

"But she won't always be that way. What happens when the pain meds wear off? What about the mood stabilizers?"

"Mood stabilizers?"

"Yes." She glares, "She's been crying herself to sleep. I don't know what she did when you spent the night, but they've been giving her stabilizers so that she can get through the day without losing it."

"She didn't mention-"

"Because she doesn't know. She doesn't need to know."

"Maybe she does, Shar. Maybe she needs to know that she's taking something to take an edge off." Andy nods.

"No, because then she won't take it. That's how she is. When her father...She kept having panic attacks. They tried to give her something, but she wouldn't take it. Only reason I know that is because her doctor and I grew up together and she-"

"Violates HIPPA so that you can spy on your daughter."

"If I need to spy to make sure my daughter is okay, then yes. Yes, she does." Sharon nods, "Just because I know doesn't mean she needs to know I know."

He raises an eyebrow, "What?"

"No one needs to know everything about everyone. There are things I don't tell you about myself and I'm sure there are things you don't tell me about you."

"You know pretty much everything about me because of Internal Affairs." Flynn shrugs.

"I'm just..." She places a hand on his jacket, adjusting his collar, "There are things about me you don't know and I'm not ready to tell you just yet. I'm sure there are things about Kate that she'll keep from us. I'm sure Eve has secrets too. She used to cut herself when she was in high school. She has scars from it on her thighs. She had a breakdown. Spent a few days in a mental outpatient place. I like to know things about her in case I need to worry about it again." She nods.

He tilts his head to the side, "Are you okay?"

Sharon swallows, "Yeah."

"Sykes needs another woman in on an interrogation. Obviously, I forgot to wear my dress today-" Flynn smirks.

She smiles, laughing a little, "Stop. You know I'll do it."

"Good. I'm glad you agreed to that before I bring up this second part." He nods, "Sykes thinks the only way to get through to this guy is if he sees Eve. If he knows he saved her life, he may open up more."

"Absolutely not."

"Sharon, it's only a last resort. Eve wants to do it."

"You asked her already?"

"She was sitting there while we talked about it. Of course she heard it."

Sharon sighs, then nods again, "If something happens and she needs to leave, take care of her while I finish the interview."

"Of course." Andy kisses her tenderly then motions to the Murder Room as he takes her hand, "Come on, come see this stupid thing Provenza bought for Kate."


	14. Chapter 14

"Captain, are you sure you're ready for this?" Amy Sykes stops her boss just outside the interview room, "It's been a month and-"

"Interrogation is like riding a bicycle. You never forget how to do it." Sharon Raydor smiles to her, "Don't worry."

"That isn't what I...I mean because of the subject matter. We have to ask him questions about things he saw done to your daughter, including her beating and rape. Are you sure you're okay with it?"

"Detective, if I knew I couldn't handle it, I wouldn't agree to do it." Sharon shakes her head, walking past her into the room, "Mr. Lewis, I'm Captain Sharon Raydor, this is Detective Amy Sykes. I'm sure you remember her-"

"Major." The man mumbles.

"I'm sorry?" Sharon tilts her head.

"Major John Lewis." Sykes smiles, "I apologize. I was a First Lieutenant in Afghanistan. I understand." She leans forward, "Did you have enough to eat? Drink?"

He looks to her, "I don't need your handouts."

"I apologize as well, Major." Sharon nods, "I just need your help on a few things."

"I didn't do anything wrong." Lewis mumbles.

"Sir, I know that. However, there were some things that occurred in the alley you reside in earlier in the week and we need your help clarifying exactly what did happen." Sharon smiles to him.

"He killed the girl. She was dead. He kept hurting her." He shakes his head, "That's all I know."

"I think you know a bit more than that, Sir. How did he kill her?" When she receives no answer, she glances to Sykes.

"How did he keep hurting her?" Sykes leans forward, getting no answer again. She glances to the camera and nods, then looks back to the man, "If I told you he didn't kill her, If I told you I need more information because she didn't die and wants answers, what would you say?"

"Saw her bleeding." Lewis shakes his head.

Eve Raydor gently knocks on the door before opening it, seeing the man, she offers him a smile. The bruises on her face still prevalent, as well as the visible knife wounds on her arms, "Major Lewis, I'm Eve Raydor. I believe you saved my life."

The man stands, backing up against the wall, shaking his head, "What is this?"

"I didn't die, Sir, however, I was wounded." Eve nods, walking closer to him and reaching out her hand.

"Eve-" Sharon shakes her head, putting up a hand to stop her.

She glances to her mother and shakes her head back, turning to the man, "I can show you my wounds if you don't believe me." She motions to her abdomen.

The man tilts his head to the side, "He chased you out...waving a...tactical knife." He swallows, "You fought hard. Very hard. Almost had him, but he got a good wave at you. Ya went down...there was a lot of blood..."

"And then what?"

Lewis swallows, "He..." He shakes his head, "I can't."

"We need to know specifics, Sir." Sharon watches him, thinking of the things that happened to her daughter.

Eve shakes her head a little, "I don't know...I want to know what happened to my body. I need to know."

He looks at the young woman, "Ripped your pants off...really ripped them. Had some crazy strength. I didn't know what..." Lewis shakes his head, "He started to...started to...with you...rough. You started waking up a little, he punched you in the face a few times."

The young woman shakes a little, watching him, "Then what?" She has tears in her eyes.

"I thought he really did finish you off. I snuck behind him...they've been doing some construction on the building...I grabbed a brick and hit him in the head...Ran before they could pin it on me." Lewis watches her.

Eve turns slowly, "Um...I...Thank you." She whispers, not making any eye contact as she nearly runs to the door.

Sharon has to do everything in her power not to run to her daughter

Andy waits outside the door, taking hold of Eve when she bursts through the door, "Hey. It's okay."

She shakes still, glancing up at him. "I can't...I can't do this."

"I know. I know." He holds her against him, glancing to the door of the interview room before walking her to the Break Room.

"Wait, she said her name was Raydor." Lewis motions to the door, then to Sharon, "That's your name. It's not a common dame. That your kid?"

Sharon nods slowly, "Yes, she is. That's my daughter."

He nods, "I had a daughter...two of them. Twins. She looks like them." Lewis slowly returns to his seat, "Looks like you." He offers a slight smile, "My wife took them before I could...I remember a lot about the war, and when I would get out...I get lost in it." He blinks.

She watches him, returning to her seat as well. Sharon leans on the table as she watches him, "You get lost in it?"

"I see things...I hear things..." He stares at the table, "When I killed that guy, I didn't see him and the girl. Not until after. I saw what he did, and what happened, but...I saw it with guys of my platoon and the enemy." Lewis swallows, "I can't lie to you, officer. Not with..." He motions to the door, signifying her daughter.

"I appreciate your honesty, Sir."

"I apologize for upsetting her." He nods, "And though I don't like it, I appreciate the food you all offered me."

Sykes smiles to the man, "Do you think you'd be able to write up everything you told us? Exactly as you remembered it?"

"Even though I didn't see the girl until after-" Lewis sits up in his seat.

"Exactly as you saw it. It's the only way we're going to be able to admit it to court to clear your name." She nods again.

"Yeah...I guess I can do that." He nods.

"All the gory details. All of it, Sir."

Lewis glances to her, "Tell the girl I'm sorry."

Sharon stands slowly, "I'll be sure to." She offers him her hand, "Thank you for saving my daughter's life." Her chin trembles slightly, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes only magnified by her glasses.

He nods quickly, shaking her hand.

She quickly exits the room as to not let the man or Sykes see a single tear fall.

Sykes smiles toward the door, "Sir, if you like, we can help you get in touch with some veterans organizations. They can help you get back up on your feet."

"I don't know where my kids are...or my wife. They're grown now, but..." He shakes his head, "I have no feet to get back up on. I'm fine where I am."

She nods, standing, "If you change your mind, please let me know." Sykes snaps her heels and salutes the man, smiling after as she leaves.

Sharon jogs to the Break Room to check on her daughter, noticing her sitting in Flynn's lap with his arms around her.

Flynn glances up as he hears the door open. He brings a finger to his mouth, motioning her to remain quiet, "You alright?" He asks his partner.

She nods, then points to her daughter, "What about her?" Sharon quickly moves to get a napkin to gently wipe her eyes.

"Sleeping. She fell asleep." He snorts, "Last time a girl fell asleep in my lap was-"

"Do I even want you to finish that sentence?"

"Was when Kate was born and ten years before that," He nods, smiling, "How did it go?"

"He's a very good man. I feel so sorry for him." Sharon folds her arms, nodding slowly, "Thanks for taking care of her. Believe it or not, it's more than what her own father would have done."

"He may have been an asshole, but I remember you telling some story about him making her breakfast."

She nods again, "He had three drinks in him. It was what it took him to function on a daily basis." Sharon offers a little smile, "She broke her leg once. She was fifteen and it was like...the end of the world for her. She had people looking at her for track scholarships, and basketball ones," She glances to Andy as she moves over, sitting in a seat across from him, "Smart as anything. Always was."

Flynn watches her, reaching over with a free hand to hold her's, "Is that when she started cutting herself?"

Sharon looks into his eyes, "Yes. She knew the scouts were there. Her coaches would make sure they would point them out after games and track meets. Give her a boost and...It was all over when she broke her leg. I called her father, left messages at his office and...he showed up two months later with a birthday card and acted like I never even tried to call him. Kate wasn't stupid. She burned it. Burned the card right in front of him with the money inside. Told him she never wanted to see him again. Which...she would, but...there was nothing but disgust within her toward him. When he died, she...It's why she needed medicine." Sharon reaches across the small table, gently stroking her daughter's hair, "So, thank you."

"We're a family, Shar. It's what families do." Andy smiles to her.

"Yeah." Sharon nods, sitting back, "Um...If I call Rusty to get Kate, do you think you could take Eve to our house? I just...I think I need some time alone."

He raises an eyebrow, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I just...It's all so much and...sometimes I like to go for a drive. I like to relieve stress. I can't paint right now, I can't turn music up to deafening heights, I can't read a book for too long. So...I just need some time alone and the only way I think that will happen is if you boys take care of the girls." She offers him a smile from the corner of her mouth.

"Sure." Flynn smiles, "Call Rusty."

Sharon stands, leaning over the table to kiss him, "Provenza is going to be upset."

"Provenza will get over it. He looks dumb as hell. What did he call that thing?"

"It's a front baby carrier."

"He calls it something else though. A baby holster." Andy shakes his head, "He's making the division look bad. Go save our kid."

Sharon giggles a little, "I think it's cute. I'm going to get you one."

"You would." Andy watches her.

She nods, moving to the door and walking back to the Murder Room.


	15. Chapter 15

"I just don't understand where she's going." Rusty stands in the kitchen, making a sauce for the pasta he had boiled.

Flynn holds Kate comfortably against his chest, "Having to deal with Kate and now Eve...It's putting a lot of stress on her."

"Well, can't she get a massage or something instead of going for a drive? It's dark."

He shakes his head, "She'll be fine." He looks over to the stove, "What are you making?"

"Oh, garlic and cheese noodles...fancy garlic and cheese noodles." Rusty smiles to him, "You can eat that, right?"

"Hell yeah." Flynn smirks, "Smells great."

"Good." He slowly dishes it up, "Only takes five minutes." Sliding a plate in front of the other man, he sits opposite him.

Andy shrugs, twirling the angel hair pasta around his fork, bringing it to his mouth, "You should be a chef, kid."

Rusty nods slowly, "It's a hobby."

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to be a forensic scientist. I want to go to the crime scene after you guys and make sure you got everything." He smirks.

"We always get everything." Flynn glances to him.

"I mean samples and...I love science and watching you and Sharon and where you work, I want to do that too. I figure, this is the best of both worlds. Right?"

"Yeah, something like that. Just don't get roped into doing DNA tests for some cut rate television show."

Rusty smirks, "What do you suggest then?"

"I don't suggest anything. It's your future. Your choice."

He nods slowly, "I guess you're right."

"I know I'm right." Flynn smirks, "I usually am."

Eve Raydor stumbles out from the bedroom, donning one of Andy's old t-shirts like her mother does. She holds onto the wall, a hand to her head, "What smells good?"

"What are you doing up?" Andy glances to her.

"I haven't eaten all day." She smiles to him, "Who changed my clothes?"

"You did." He nods, "Rusty folded your stuff after. I ran and packed you a bag."

"I'm not staying here." Eve shakes her head slowly, moving closer, "Who made pasta?"

"I did." Rusty nods, "Want to sit down? I'll get you some."

She smiles to him, "For another little brother, you're adorable, Rusty." She takes a seat on a stool, "I feel like I was hit by a mack truck."

"I guess you would be." He puts some on a plate, sliding it in front of her.

"I told you it was going to be rough. The pain pill isn't entirely out of your system." Andy shakes his head, "I gave you one after the interview. That was...six hours ago."

"Are they elephant tranquilizers?" She props herself up at the bar.

"Yes." Flynn smirks, glancing down to Kate, who was still resting against him, "I should put her down. Crib?"

Rusty nods, "Eve is sleeping in the bed."

Eve glances to him, "You and Kate usually sleep together in bed?"

"Yeah. She sleeps better usually. I don't move when I sleep, so she likes to hold onto my arm."

"That is so cute." She smirks, "Like a Teddy Bear."

"I guess." He makes a face.

Flynn snorts, standing, "I'll be right back." He walks to the room that Kate often shared with her brother, but tonight was sharing with her sister.

"So, Rusty, what do you like to do when you aren't doing school things?" Eve glances to him as she eats her pasta.

"Oh." Rusty looks to her, "Um...I like to cook, I like to play chess, I like to write, I like to listen to music."

"You have the hobbies of an eighty year old woman."

He snorts, nodding, "I guess I do."

"What do you write about?"

"Things that happen to me...I write about my life."

Eve nods slowly, "I hear it's been pretty crappy."

"It has. Sharon saved me from it, I guess."

"Well, I'm glad you're here now. I'm glad you're my brother now. You're where you're supposed to be."

Rusty smiles softly, "Thanks."

"I mean it. Plus, you have great skin and beautiful eyes. Could use a haircut, but whatever." Eve smiles.

"Thanks? I think."

"I'm allowed to do that. I'm your older sister. Older sisters are allowed to pick on little brothers."

"Oh, okay." He chuckles a bit.

Flynn returns to them, "Out like a light, that little one." He smirks, "Everyone good?"

"Perfect." The young man nods.

The night continues on, all parties retreating to their designated sleeping arrangements. Rusty stands in the kitchen, slowly cleaning up from dinner. It was almost relaxing to him, doing housework. As silly as it seemed. Cooking and cleaning up a mess offered a sense of release to him, a reminder of how it was when he was much younger. He feels a buzz from his phone and realizes it's a text from Sharon, asking to pick her up. The worry in him begins to rise. He stops what he's doing and quietly slips his shoes on that were in the hall, as well as a zipper up hoodie. He grabs his keys from the glass bowl and jogs to his car.

Rusty knew exactly where she was, he had brought a date here once to gaze at the stars. It was a beautiful, peaceful drive and he knew she'd be alone there. That's why she went. After traveling up the hill some time, he finally notices her car near a cliff, she was sitting on the hood, a large bottle of wine next to her. Music blares so loud he can hear it over his own. He parks behind her car, getting out and walking over to her. He reaches into the car, turning the music down, "The Supremes...post Diana Ross."

"Climb a ladder up to the roof, Rusty." Sharon makes a movement with her hand, quoting the song. She takes another sip from the bottle, it was nearly empty.

He nods, sighing. Rusty walks around and sits next to her on the hood, "What happened?"

"Nothing...everything...I don't even know anymore." She shakes her head.

"Have something to do with your interrogation today? Flynn was telling me about it. That guy saved her life." He smiles.

"I didn't save her life though. I couldn't protect her the first time around. If I couldn't protect myself, how was I going to protect her."

Rusty furrows his brow slightly, "Protect yourself?"

Sharon swallows hard, "When I was twenty-two, I was in college and I went late night jogging...went almost every night...when I didn't have to study, of course." Her speech slightly slurred as she continues her story, "One night, I was followed and raped. I didn't see his face. I didn't report it...I told a therapist years later. A lot of money and a lot of time with to that therapist and all this...all this brings it up again."

He nods slowly, wrapping an arm around her, "I'm sorry."

"You didn't do it...I was twenty two. I...I tried to tell my husband, but...he was too drunk. He didn't care. Told me I probably had it coming." Sharon shakes her head, laughing bitterly, "I had it coming and I stayed with him. Can you believe it?"

"Not really." He smiles as she rests her head on his shoulder, "Though, I don't imagine you putting up with a lot of things, but you do anyway."

"I'm a good person, right?"

"The best."

"And...I know what's right...I do what's right...right?"

"All the time." Rusty nods, taking off his sweatshirt and wrapping it around her shoulders, "If it weren't for you, I'd still be working the streets. I owe you my life."

"I remember how much it hurt...Physically, yeah, but emotionally...Fucked me up years after. I don't want that for Evey." Sharon shakes her head, "I don't want her to remember it."

"You carry it with you no matter where you go. Some wise old person told me that."

"Am I the wise old person?"

"You are." He smiles to her, "She has to heal. The only way she'll heal is if she confronts it head on. Same with you. When you're ready, you have to tell Flynn, and maybe when she begins to realize the severity of what happened, it may be a good idea to tell Eve."

"I'm afraid to tell him." Sharon looks up at the stars.

"Andy Flynn isn't Charlie Raydor. Flynn is that guy who has been protecting your daughters all day. He's the one who broke your oldest out of the hospital because she was sad. He loves you and anything associated with you. Ya think you'd realize that by now." Rusty rubs her arms, trying to keep her warm.

She takes another sip of the bottle, finishing it, she tosses it off the cliff, "No...he isn't..."

"I'll blow up the air mattress. I don't think it would be a good idea if you tried to sleep next to him with the smell of expensive wine on your breath."

"Me either." She sighs, "Can we stay here a little longer?"'

"As long as you want."

"It's just really beautiful...and I haven't been here in a long time." Sharon leans against him more.

"If you start falling asleep, I'll get you to the car." Rusty holds her. It isn't very long before she falls asleep. He's able to carry her to the car, puts her in the passenger seat, leaving her there for the trip and even when they arrive to the house. He blows up the mattress, putting a sheet over it before jogging back out to the car to carry her inside, ungracefully putting her on the bed. He travels to her bedroom, grabbing one of Flynn's old shirts. Remaining silent, he returns to her, helping her out of her clothes and into the t-shirt. He used to do this for his Sharon Beck, he remembers.

Rusty then goes to the kitchen and grabs a bucket, putting a white kitchen trash bag into it, setting it next to the bed, next to her. He checks the clock, almost four. He sighs, shaking his head before putting his own pajamas on and climbing onto the air mattress next to her. His need to protect her great as he absently wraps an arm around her, almost exactly as he does with Kate when they sleep in the same bed.

Thankfully, it's the weekend.


	16. Chapter 16

The sunlight from the windows in the living room causing the entire thing to glow and reflect off the glass accents. Sharon Raydor, slowly opens her eyes, the sunlight burning them, she sighs. It had been a long night for her, whether she realized it or not. A putrid smell attacks her nose and she realizes it's radiating from a bag of vomit beneath her. She feels her abdomen, an arm wrapped around her that wasn't Flynn's and a face resting against her back. It takes her a moment to realize it's that of the young man she's been raising.

Rusty feels her begin to stir, having been up with her all hours of the night, holding back her hair, he bolts his eyes open, ready to do it again. He sighs, "Shit, it's bright in here." Realizing she isn't leaning off the bed, he moves over, letting her roll to her back, "Hey."

Sharon slowly glances to him, "What happened?"

"You got drunk...then got sick..."

"Shit." She whispers.

"How do you feel?" His voice sincere, slowly sitting up.

"Fine...no hangover." Sharon watches him, "You stayed up all night for me?"

"Did you think I wouldn't?" Rusty runs his hands through his hair, then rubs them over his face, "I think I got a few hours."

She nods, taking his hand, "Thank you."

He nods, "Kate will be up soon. You need to get a shower."

Looking down at herself, then over to him, "You changed my clothes?"

"You had on a nice business suit. Of course I changed your clothes."

Sharon snorts, slowly sitting up herself, "And this means I can't feed Kate any time soon."

Rusty nods, "Go get a shower, I'll make you a bottle for her...and I'll clean this up."

"I can do that."

Quickly he snaps, "Please, go get a shower, Sharon. You smell like barf."

Sharon slowly glances over her shoulder to him, nodding silently as she gets up, prodding to the bathroom. She knew the boy was angry with her. She could tell. Sharon closes the door behind her, shaking her head ever so slightly as tears come to her eyes. She fucked up.

Rusty walks about the room, cleaning up the vomit, throwing it in the outside trash can, then folding up the bed, throwing the sheets and blanket in the wash. He goes to the kitchen and begins breakfast. This morning it would be a thick keish, especially with the extra mouth to feed. It would be easy. He sighs, pouring himself a glass of organic cranberry juice.

Flynn reads the newspaper in bed, glancing to his partner as she walks in, "Hey. Where the hell did you go last night? Saw you sleeping on the blow up bed in the living room with Rusty when I got the paper."

Sharon stands at her dresser, glancing to him via the reflection of the mirror, "Nowhere...just didn't want to wake you up when I got back."

"And your car is missing...which leads me to believe that you were drinking."

She freezes, standing there in her robe.

He nods slowly, "I'm right, aren't I..."

"Yes." She swallows.

Andy sighs, folding up his paper before getting off the bed and walking over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He softly kisses her exposed shoulder, "Was the wine good?"

Sharon shakes her head slowly, "It was good wine, but...Rusty is pissed. You should be too."

"Why?"

"I stopped drinking for you and for him...and then I couldn't drink while I was pregnant with Kate and...I just want to go back to work. This was all easier when it was the only thing I had to worry about."

"Yeah, but Shar...That's not ever going to be the only thing anymore. Hasn't been for a while now. There's Rusty and Kate...and the other kids." Flynn shakes his head.

"Are you mad at me?" Sharon turns in his arms, looking him in the eye.

"No. Not at all." He leans in, kissing her softly, "I could never be angry with you."

She swallows, leaning her head onto him and quickly taking in his smell, "I really am sorry, Andy."

"It's a lot to deal with. I know it is." His arms encase her, rubbing her lower back, "Everything will be okay though."

"Yeah." Sharon wipes her tear stained cheeks, "I think Rusty is making breakfast. I can smell it. Let me change and I'll be right out."

"I don't want to let you go." Flynn kisses her temple, "Sykes said that guy from yesterday checked into a Veterans shelter. He's getting the help he needs."

She nods, "That's good." She leans back, looking into his eyes.

"Yeah." He leans his head down again, kissing her lips softly.

Sharon deepens the kiss, her tongue flicking out against his teeth to his awaiting mouth. She raises her hands up, taking hold of his face as her towel falls.

Flynn smirks, pulling her closer.

Rusty knocks on their bedroom door before opening it, "Hey, Eve is in bed and-" He pauses, turning away, "Whoa. That was...I never...I think I'm blind now." He quickly walks away from the door, Kate in his arm as he returns to the kitchen.

Sharon begins laughing, holding onto the man in front of her, "Let me get dressed."

Andy makes a face, "Do you have to?"

"I do." She nods, "Can you go find out what he was saying about Eve?"

He turns, sighing, "Yeah, alright. We'll do this later?" Flynn cleans up the newspaper, scattered about the bed.

"Later." Sharon smiles slightly as she pulls clothing out for herself.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Katie. They're ridiculous, grown adults. You have loving parents. I'm sorry for your luck." Rusty sits at the bar, Kate in her usual vibrating bouncer as she watches her brother as he eats the kiesh he had prepared.

"I'm sorry you have loving parents?" Flynn smirks to the boy, putting a slice of the food onto a plate, "This looks damn good."

"Ones that are old and can't keep their hands off one another. Yes." He glances to the baby, "Yes, Katie, I'm sorry."

He smirks, nodding. He then looks to Rusty, "Was Sharon bad last night?" His voice hushed.

Rusty slowly looks to him, then nods, "She needs to talk to someone."

"Thanks for taking care of her." Flynn eats the food, then moans, "This is damn good."

"It's a hobby."

"You were saying something about Eve when you..."

"She was in her bed crying." Rusty nods, "Was asking for her mom, but I think Sharon will probably go in there regardless."

Eve Raydor stands at the mirror in the room, slowly removing the large bandage covering her midsection with a shaky hand. A robe draped over her shoulders as she stands without a shirt, it almost cleverly conceals her breasts as her panties conceal her nether regions. She hadn't actually looked at herself like this yet. It had been a week and she couldn't bring herself to do it. Eve hisses at the stitches covering the area. She had them other places too, but they'd easily go away. These were large and noticeable.

Sharon silently slips into the room, looking to her daughter. She hadn't seen the full scale of the wounds herself. She can't help but swallow and look away.

"They hurt." The younger woman whispers.

"I can get you a pain pill-"

"I don't want a fucking pain pill." She leans both hands against the dresser. Her eyes coast from her abdomen to her face, discolored with bruising, "I look like a monster."

"No, you don't." Sharon shakes her head.

"Look at me." Eve's voice full of emotion, "These will never go away."

"Flynn's are barely noticeable."

"But you still see them." She closes her eyes, tilting her head to the side, disgusted with herself, "You'll always see them."

Sharon moves closer to her daughter, placing a hand on her bicep, "They are a symbol of something you overcame. Something you survived."

"He turned on me. I loved Michael and he turned on me." Eve swallows, "How can I trust someone again?"

"You just do. You bite the bullet and you'll feel it." She nods, "Just like I did with Andy."

"You stuck with Andy because you got knocked up. You know it's true." Her knees begin to wobble, "Help me to bed?"

Sharon wraps an arm around her daughter's waist, helping her back over to the bed, "It's not true. It's just a happy accident."

"Should have been me." Eve yells at her, "You know that."

She swallows, "If it was you, she wouldn't have been Kate."

"And now...I don't care anymore. I lost my baby, lost my man, I've...The only thing I have left is my job and I'm sure they're thinking of ways to get rid of me too."

"What do you mean 'lost your baby'?"

"I was pregnant too...and I lost it...right before the second trimester started. I have the greatest luck, don't you know?" Eve shakes her head.

"I didn't know, Evey. I didn't know. I'm so sorry." Sharon gently holds her daughter as they sit on the edge of the bed together.

"I just want to be happy. Is that too much to ask?" The young woman has tears brimming in her mud colored eyes.

"Never, but sometimes happiness isn't about what happens to us. Sometimes it's about what doesn't and finding out what works in life. Sometimes it's about what we make happen for ourselves."

"Don't give me that inspirational bullshit. It might work on Rusty, but it doesn't work on me." Eve moans, gripping the sheets of the bed, "I just want to sleep today. I just want to sleep."

Sharon nods slowly, "Want me to get you a pain pill?"

"I don't like taking pills." She begins to shake her head, "You know that."

"Let me put new bandages on you, and then give you something. Please, Evey, I can't see you hurting."

"I deserve to hurt."

"Why?"

Eve shakes her head slowly, "To help me feel. I need to feel things, Mom."

Sharon keeps her arm around her daughter, "Not like this."

The girl remains quiet for a moment, "Help me with my bandages..."

She retrieves the bandages, helping Eve apply them carefully, "Rusty made breakfast. I can bring some to you."

"Whatever." Eve looks away from her mother.

"Or I can make you a smoothie...I've become pretty good at it, believe it or not."

"The blender doesn't explode?" She can't help but smirk.

Sharon rolls her eyes a little, "Really, you all think I can't use a simple blender. I've never blown up the microwave."

"You're microwave things now?"

"Leftovers." She smiles up to her daughter, gently clasping the bandage behind the girl's back, "That should be it."

Eve gently hugs onto her mother, letting tears come to her eyes as she lets her face fall into the other woman's hair, "I'm sorry." She whispers.

"It's okay. We'll take care of it, Honey." Sharon holds her daughter closely.

"I'm sorry." She repeats, not wanting to move.

"I know."

"I am."

"I know, Eve." Her mother continues to hold her, gently helping her lie down, "I'll bring you a smoothie."

"Something healthy." Eve watches her mother.

"Yeah." Sharon smiles, kissing her daughter on the head before walking to the kitchen to make the girl a smoothie with her medication crushed into it.


	17. Chapter 17

Sharon Raydor pushes the stroller containing her infant daughter through the shopping mall, "I'm glad you agreed to this."

"I'm surprised I agreed to it, but, I wouldn't miss it. I still don't think it was necessary to buy me all that you did-" Andrea Hobbs walks alongside the woman, smiling to her.

"Well, you are going to go to a tailor and have it all fit perfectly. Those other suits of yours were old and worn. You need something to knock them dead in court. You're a beautiful woman, Andrea. A beautiful woman hiding behind a cheap, ill-fitting suit."

"I...Thank you, Captain." The blond blushes, "I'd do anything to spend time with Kate regardless of the occasion."

"Please, it's Sharon. We aren't at work. I figured I could pick up a Christening gown for her while we were here." Sharon looks to her, "And I wanted to ask you something while we do that."

"Yes?"

"I was curious if you would be interested being Kate's Godmother."

"I...I am very flattered." She smiles, "I would love to."

Sharon smirks, "Fantastic."

"However-"

"Yes?"

"I'm Jewish."

"Ah." Sharon nods slowly, sighing, "Damn."

"I'm sorry." Hobbs sighs, "Was I your last choice?"

"My first choice." She shakes her head slowly, "I don't want to ask my children."

Continuing to walk alongside the pair, "How has Eve been?" Andrea tilts her head to the side, looking to the other woman with her large crystal blue eyes, "My sister is a lot happier, thanks to her bravery. Mentioned wanting to meet for some coffee or dinner."

"Eve is...broken..." Sharon continues walking, leaning down to adjust the blanket that Kate has covered her own face with, "In a lot of pain, put it that way."

"I...I had no idea, I'm sorry. She looked fine last I saw her."

"She has a great poker face." She shakes her head, "It isn't your fault."

"I feel like it is a little bit. He was my brother-in-law."

"And you attempted to secure a restraining order for your stubborn yet affected sister. Sometimes, when one is married to someone else, they will try to look past that person's shortcomings in order to recapture the idea of what they fell in love with in the first place." Sharon gives her a small smile, "I've been there."

Andrea nods, "Still. She didn't deserve what happened."

"No, she didn't." She releases a sigh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, wanting to change the subject, "Gavin was speaking of the three of us possibly having a dinner night."

"You and Kate?"

"I mean you, Gavin, and myself. Would you be interested?"

Hobbs smirks, "Why are you...You're being really nice to me."

"Am I not normally nice towards you?" Sharon glances to her.

"No, that isn't what I mean. I know Gavin and you are close friends-"

"We've been friends for years-"

"And you suddenly want to invite me along?"

Raydor nods slowly, "You are someone we think could use a girls' night out. His words, not mine. I wouldn't call him a girl." She smirks, "We don't go and drink, we have dinner and sometimes retreat to either Gavin's place or my own and watch some terrible movie. Does that sound like something you would be interested in?"

Hobbs smiles, "I don't have many friends and with my sister around all the time, things are difficult at home-"

"Is that a yes?"

"Absolutely." She nods, laughing at herself, "Is he going to mind?"

"He's the one that suggested I ask you."

"Ah. Well, do you mind?"

"Andrea, I wouldn't have invited you out if I didn't enjoy your company. If it weren't for you, Kate nor I would be here today."

"That's not entirely-"

"I mean it. I consider you a friend." Sharon leans down to adjust the little girl in her stroller when she begins to fuss.

Andrea smiles, nodding absently. "May I carry her?"

"She's starting to get big. Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." Hobbs gently removes the baby from her seat, cuddling her closely.

Sharon smirks, picking up her cell phone when it rings without looking at the caller identification on the screen, "Hello?"

"Shar, it's me." Andy's voice fills the other line cautiously, "Where are you right now?"

"I'm out shopping. What's wrong?"

He sighs, "Rusty just called me, he had a half day and his friend picked him up this morning because they were going to hang out after school was over-" Flynn holds onto the steering wheel, keeping his mobile phone plastered to his ear as he talks. Slightly distracted, but he was getting his point across, "He stopped home because he forgot clothes to change into. Shar, he said his car is gone."

Sharon stops in her tracks, glancing over to Andrea with a nod before she walks away a few feet, "What do you mean gone?"

"I mean, Eve took the car."

Terror begins to rise in the woman, she holds a shaking hand out as she begins to panic, "Where did she go?"

"I have no idea. Do you have any?"

"Absolutely not." Sharon runs a hand through her long hair, "Oh God, Andy. What if...She was so uneasy the other day. I'm really...I can't have what-"

"Wait one second." Andy pulls the phone from his face, looking at the screen, "Well, I'll be damned." He brings the phone back up, "Shar, it's Eve. I'll call you right back." He quickly disconnects from her call, answering the other.

"Why would she call him instead of me?" Sharon asks herself quietly.

"Hello? Eve?" Andy answers.

"Is this Lieutenant Andy Flynn of the LAPD?" The voice was most definitely not that of his near stepdaughter.

"Yeah, who is this and why are you using Eve Raydor's phone?"

"My name is Amanda Kelso, I work with Eve. She's here like...freaking out. Said to call you to come get her." The young woman sighs.

"What happened?" Andy's voice changes ever so slightly to concern as he continues to drive, knowing which direction to head now.

"I don't really know. There was a substitute still scheduled because no one expected her back so soon and she just kind of...showed up."

"I see." He nods, "I'm on my way, Ms. Kelso." He disconnects the call and quickly turns his sirens on as to get to the young woman faster. Turning them off before pulling up in front of the school, he bursts through the door. Andy flashes his badge to a few people as they point him in the proper direction. Walking into the teacher's lounge, he sees the woman he had been talking to on the phone.

"Lieutenant Flynn?" The young, tallish woman turns, tilting her head to the side.

He nods, offering a hand, "Where is she?"

"This way." Amanda Kelso leads the way down a long corridor, "I know her mother is an officer, right?"

"Yes, she's my boss." Andy smirks, "And my girlfriend, but that's how that works..."

"Okay." The young woman raises her eyebrows, "I only just left her to wait for you. I...It's pretty bad, Lieutenant." She goes silent for a moment, "I wanted to prepare you."

He nods a little as the young woman opens the door to the boiler room and motions to the young woman, balled up in a corner. Slowly walking over, he kneels down next to her, "Hey, kid."

Eve Raydor holds her knees to her chest, though it causes her great pain. Her body shakes ever so slightly as she glances to him, "Flynn."

Andy nods, gently wrapping his arms around her, "What happened?"

"They were asking so many questions about the scars and the bruises and...I couldn't take it. I couldn't do it, Andy, I couldn't. It's...it's the only thing I have anymore and I can't even do it." She rambles, her face a mess of tears and smeared makeup.

"Yes, you can. It's just too soon right now, Alright?"

"What if it isn't? What if I can't do this anymore?" Eve swallows, "What if I can't do anything anymore?"

"How about we get you out of here?" Andy tucks a piece of her hair behind her ear, "We'll worry about the other things once you're completely healed. Okay?"

She absently nods, watching him, "What do I do now?"

"I'll take you to my car and I'll go get your things from the classroom." He looks down to her, "Then I'll take you back to the house."

"I stole Rusty's car."

"I know you did. That probably wasn't a good idea. Could have killed yourself."

"I can drive."

"Not with meds in your system." Flynn shakes his head, "It isn't a good idea."

"I didn't take any." Eve swallows, trying to stand.

"It was in your shake. The ones we've been making you in the mornings-"

"You've been drugging me?" She furrows her brow.

"We have to, Eve. You're depressed and in too much pain during the day. You don't ask for them. You don't take them and you need to. You can't punish yourself for something you didn't cause." Andy sighs, "It was the only way to keep you stable."

"I am stable-"

"You stole Rusty's car while your mother went shopping for your sister's Baptism gown. That isn't stable, Eve."

Finally able to rise to her feet, Eve looks to him once more, "I borrowed it. I'm not crazy, Lieutenant Flynn. I just wanted to come back to something I...something concrete. Something I thought was concrete." Her face contorts, threatening to cry again, "And I find out that...it isn't. Nothing is."

Flynn shakes his head, "Let's get you home." He gently leads her out of the boiler room, toward his awaiting police car, doing as he said he would.


	18. Chapter 18

Andy Flynn lets the unmarked police car roll to a stop in front of the bungalow he shares with Sharon Raydor. He glances over to the passenger seat, sighing at the spent, sleeping form of his partner's daughter, Eve Raydor. Flynn climbs out of his driver side door over to the passenger side. He lifts her into his arms, "I'm too old for this shit." He mumbles to himself, carrying her toward the front door, nodding when it is opened for him.

"I heard the car. What happened?" Sharon Raydor watches him intently, closing the door once he walks through, and follows him through the house, "Is she okay?"

"We need to talk." Flynn nods, taking her to the bedroom she had been using, "Can you get her changed? Get her situated?" He doesn't look to Sharon, walking past her, "I'll be in the kitchen."

Sharon watches him, knowing he was angry about something. She gently changes her daughter out of her clothing and into her pajamas, which lately, consisted of an oversized t-shirt and a pair of loose pajama pants that rested at her hips as to not make any contact with her healing abdomen. She kisses the still sleeping, young woman on the head before walking to the kitchen.

He stands at the Kruig coffee maker, slipping a cup of flavored coffee into the top portion of the machine.

"So, what happened?" She folds her arms, leaning her hip against the bar area in the kitchen.

"Where's Kate?"

"Hobbs is watching her. She's fine. I thought she should probably not be here when you returned with Eve...for obvious reasons." Sharon swallows, "What happened?"

"She went to work." Andy turns, facing her, "Admitted to taking Rusty's car, but claims sanity." He sighs, "We have to talk about maybe taking her to-"

"I won't admit her to a hospital, Andy." She quickly shakes her head.

"You're due back to work in a week. A week, Shar. Then what? What if she tries to cook while we aren't home? What if she attempts to rearrange the house? What if-"

"I understand what you're saying. She...she's been through a great deal lately. It will appear as if we have given up on her."

"I'd rather she be safe than us being at work, wondering if she burnt the house down." Flynn raises his voice slightly, then shakes his head.

"I know." Her voice hushed, "I've been there. I've been where she is right now and...everyone deals with things differently."

"She is incapable of dealing with this, Shar."

"It's been two weeks!" Sharon gives him one of her traffic stopping looks, "Weeks since she discovered the man she loved was married and not who he said he was. Weeks since she was beaten, raped, accused of murder, and cleared of the charges. Tack on another few months and we can add a miscarriage to that."

"She told you about the miscarriage?"

She pauses, then nods, "I see she discussed it with you first."

Andy shrugs, sighing, "It all sounds like a recipe for going off the deep end, Shar. It wouldn't be a long term thing."

"She hated it so much when she was young." Sharon glances past him as tears sparkle in her eyes, "She hasn't had time to-"

"I fear for Kate while she's here. I fear for you. I fear for Eve. I'm afraid we're going to come home from work one day and she's going to be dead on the floor from self-inflicted wounds." He swallows, "I know it's hard, but one of the things about being a good parent is doing the right things for our children even though they may not like it."

She nods before leaning her forehead onto his chest, "She's going to hate me...like Chad and then where would I be?"

"Chad doesn't hate you. He's doing great at meetings." Andy smiles a little, "Asks me about you, even Kate, all the time."

Sharon's face softens a little, looking into his eyes, "He's been going to meetings."

He nods, "Wants to make you and Eve proud."

"He hasn't...I haven't spoken with him since the hospital."

"Oh." Andy shrugs, "I'm his sponsor."

"And you didn't tell me?" She backs away from him slightly.

"It's called Alcoholics Anonymous for a reason, Shar. I've already said too much."

Sharon folds her arms, "I see my children go to you and Kate still isn't my biggest fan." She swallows, "Well...that's good then."

Andy shakes his head slowly, "Look, I don't know why they call me."

"Because they like you more-"

"That isn't true." He sighs, turning and picking his coffee mug up from under the device, "Since when has it been a popularity contest with you?"

"They're my children, Andy. I want them to be able to look to me for help."

Flynn slides the mug to her, making himself another, "It isn't like that."

"Then what is it like?" Sharon shakes her head, "My children call my boyfriend for help. Your children don't call me. What would you do if that happened?"

"One, I'd be shocked if they knew your number. Two, I'd be shocked if they remembered your name. Three, I wouldn't care all-"

"Don't be a smartass."

"I'm not being..." He shakes his head, "This has nothing to do with you."

"Chad hated you and now you're his sponsor?"

"He has trust issues, much like you. He wanted someone he knew."

"You have judged him before." Sharon nods slowly, "At Charlie's funeral, You commented on how he was walking down the steps, how he was drunk during it all."

"Because who the hell shows up drunk to their father's funeral? That was the only thing I was sober for when I was younger." Flynn raises his voice ever so slightly, "What are you trying to get at, Sharon? I thought this was a family."

"It is a family and I'm...I just want my children to feel safe coming to me. The fact that they go to you, says they do not."

"Rusty goes to you."

Sharon shakes her head, "Rusty is different."

"In what way?"

"I didn't raise Rusty his entire life. He did that himself."

"You helped." Flynn points to her, "In the important years, when it came to trust, understanding, and love...that was all you. Now, you're the only person he goes to."

"He trusts you." She sighs, "He goes to you, Andy." Sharon looks away, "Why are we having this argument?"

"I don't know, you tell me." He smirks.

She walks back over to him, leaning up on her toes to kiss him softly, "I apologize."

"So do I." Andy wraps his arms around her slim waist.

Eve appears in the doorway to the kitchen, leaning a hand against the steel refrigerator.

Sharon notices her and turns her head toward her, "Hey. I didn't hear you, honey. How are you feeling?" She stands upright, moving over to her daughter.

"I'm thirsty." Eve's voice, once silky, was now hoarse and brittle, "Do we have-"

"There's juice, water, coffee, tea..."

She turns silent a moment, "Tea, please."

"I've got it." Andy smiles to her, moving over to the device that had made his coffee.

Sharon smiles, helping her to a chair to sit down, "Better?"

Eve nods quickly, slowly raising her eyes to look at them, but not completely, "You two were talking about me, weren't you..."

"I'll be honest with you." She sits next to the young woman, wrapping an arm around her, "We were."

Slowly glancing over to her mother, "He told you what happened?" She asks.

"Yes."

"Okay." Eve trembles slightly, which hasn't exactly stopped except for when she was asleep, "I think my best option, because of how fucked up everything has been lately...is to admit-" She pauses, her face contorting with defeat and sadness, "To admit myself to the hospital." Her voice cracks ever so slightly.

"You are so brave." Sharon gently strokes her hair, kissing her temple as her own eyes become tear ridden, "You're my hero. Do you know that?"

She swallows, "Will you help me pack?"

"You don't pack, remember? They give you a set of scrubs."

"I'm...It will be different this time there? Not like when I was..." Her voice trails off.

Sharon nods, "You are older now. Smarter than you were before. They are only going to help you sort things out. That's all."

Eve nods, "How long do I have to stay?"

"As long as you need. You're going to sign yourself in, and you will sign yourself out."

She looks away, taking a sip of tea after Andy sets it in front of her, "What if I stay too long? I could forget to feed my cat."

"You don't have a cat." Sharon shakes her head slowly.

Eve smiles a little, "I know...just wanted to see if you were saying things just to get me to shut up."

"I would never do that to you." She smirks, "When would you like to go?"

"After I finish this?" The young woman looks between the two, "I'd like to get a shower...maybe do my hair." She swallows, "I don't want to look hideous going in there. They eat you alive."

Andy smiles, "There's no way you could ever look hideous."

"Mom, will you..." Eve bites her lip before continuing, "Could you help me in the shower? I don't...I don't trust myself right now."

"Whatever you need me to do, honey." Sharon nods.

"Then, you and Andy can take me?" She tucks her long, dark, curly hair behind her ear, "I know you. If I ask just you to take me, you'll cry in the car afterwards and I don't want you to drive like that. If Andy is there, he can help you. He can hold you." Eve finishes her tea, standing, "Sometimes, all you need is to be held by the person you love. Sometimes, that's all you need." She offers a sad smile before walking toward her bedroom.

Sharon stands, waiting a moment before following her daughter.


	19. Chapter 19

Thumping over and over. She runs faster in her trainer sneakers, faster still. It's no match for the thumping. A rough hand reaches out, forcefully grabbing her pale arm, leaving an instant bruise as she's forced to the ground. It's so dark she can barely see anything. It helps nothing. She feels as his large hand slides into the elastic waistband of her jogging shorts, nearly ripping them as he forces them down. She continues to struggle against him, trying to push him away. Trying to do anything.

"Sharon!" Andy yells, gripping her a little as he shakes her.

Sharon instantly springs her eyes open, glancing around. Her bedroom. She brings a shaking hand to her chest.

"You were screaming." He sighs, "What the hell was that about?" He releases his grip on her arms, watching her.

"The...the dream again." She swallows, "Shit."

"Nightmare?"

"It's.." Sharon slowly looks to him, "The...Everything that happened with Eve...it brought everything back. All of it. All the memories."

"You were raped?" He pauses, knowing he was right, "Why...why didn't you tell me, Shar?" Andy's eyes soften, wrapping his arms around her again, how they were before she began to scream.

"I didn't...I don't know. I didn't think you'd care. I was in my early twenties...like Eve."

"Of course I care. I love you." He nods, leaning in to kiss her tenderly, "Why did you think I wouldn't?"

Sharon gently rests her head on his chest, "Charlie told me I had it coming."

"Charlie was an asshole." Flynn reaches a hand up, stroking her hair.

"That's why I didn't tell you."

"Because you thought I was going to say you deserved it?" Andy shakes his head, "I'd never, Shar."

She lies there silently a few moments, "I remembered how much it hurt. That's all I kept thinking about. Any time I looked at Eve, all I could think about was not only the physical pain, but the emotional. It's a violation. Something that is one's own, being completely..." Sharon pauses, "Being completely ripped to shreds."

"Did you report it?"

Sharon shakes her head slowly, "I was young and stupid. My husband had told me it was my fault. Now, I never listened to much of what Charlie had to say about most things, but...I did that time. It wouldn't have done much for me at the time. I couldn't give a description except homeless guy with long hair."

"You still remember that much though."

"Because I've dreamt about it every night since..." She sighs, "Do you think she's okay?"

"I bet she's better now than she has been in a while." Andy nods slowly.

"Kate is still asleep. Rusty is asleep. Eve is in a psychiatric hospital and Chad is..."

"Probably at work. He moonlights as a bouncer." He smirks.

Sharon nods, "What about yours? Matthew and Mac?"

"I don't know." Andy answers honestly, "No matter how much I try, their mother one ups me. I try to be there and she...She fills their heads with how I was. They remember it sometimes, but..." He sighs, "It's one of my biggest regrets."

"We'll work on it." She softly kisses his jaw, "Sunday, after church, we'll have brunch here. Is that okay with you?"

"Sunday is special why?"

Sharon rolls her eyes, "Kate's Christening."

"Oh, damn, I forgot all about that." Andy nods, "Of course."

"You're asking Provenza, I assume."

"Yeah. Threatened to quit if I didn't." He smirks, "Did you ask Hobbs?"

She nods, "I did, but she's Jewish so...I don't know who to go to now."

"Sykes isn't Catholic." Flynn thinks a few moments, "What about Liz Provenza?"

Sharon raises an eyebrow, "She's Catholic?"

He nods, "They had a Catholic wedding."

"I will give her a call tomorrow."

Andy smiles, holding onto her more, "I wish you would have told me sooner, Shar, about the thing."

"It wasn't the time." She shakes her head.

"There isn't a time to tell that. You just do." He leans his face down, kissing her hair, "I love you so much."

Sharon smirks, "I love you too, Andy."

"I have an idea."

"Yeah?"

He smirks, "Let's get married before the thing on Sunday." He shrugs, "Drive to Vegas for a night. See if Provenza and Liz can keep an eye on Rusty and Kate..."

She shakes her head slowly, "Last time we tried to have a date-"

"This isn't a date, it's a thing we have been meaning to do and haven't had the opportunity to because we've both been very busy."

Sharon props herself up on his chest, "Then we'll take classes later and marry within the church?"

"Absolutely." Andy nods slowly, "I'd expect nothing else."

She smirks, kissing his lips and looking him in the eyes, "My parents mentioned something about coming on Sunday."

"That's a bit of a drive for them, isn't it? Maybe send a car." He absently rubs her back.

"Thing is, they're going to need a place to stay and they haven't gotten to see Kate much..."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Flynn raises an eyebrow.

Sharon shrugs, "I'll offer them a hotel."

"I mean, we have Rusty and there are plenty of places around here. It's not very fair for him to have to keep giving up his room."

"You're right." She nods, "I don't think they'd enjoy a baby crying in the middle of the night either."

"I highly doubt they would." He kisses her softly, "We'll worry about it when the time comes."

"Just like our supposed, spontaneous wedding?" Sharon returns his kiss, reaching her hands up to thread through his silver hair.

"Spontaneous." Flynn smirks, "We should have done it months ago."

"We should have, but we didn't." She nuzzles her face against his shoulder, "Didn't need to. I didn't want some kind of Shotgun wedding. Would have made us look guilty. We always loved each other, sure, but I think Kate needed to be born to help us realize what we mean to one another."

"If you say so." He nods, letting his hand travel from her lower back to her thigh.

Sharon jumps ever so slightly as a howl can be heard via the baby monitor and Rusty's voice quickly following it.

"Hey, Katie. It's alright." Rusty rises from his bed, having changed the sheets on his bed once Eve checked out. They had remnants of her blood from turning and attempting to keep herself in pain. He smiles down to the baby, lifting her from her crib, "Did you have a bad dream?" He softly kisses the baby's temple.

Sharon ties rises from the bed, and takes her silk robe from the back of the bedroom door, tying it around herself before walking to the bedroom the children shared, "She okay?"

He nods, "She's fine." Rusty absently gives Sharon a look before returning his attention to the infant.

"Look, Rusty, are you pissed at me? I mean...I'm sorry I called you the other day, but...I trust you."

"You called me because you didn't want Flynn knowing. You know that." He shakes his head, "We're worrying about Kate, not you."

"What did I do?"

Finally, the boy turns to her, looking her in the eye, "I saw that. What happened the other night? I saw that many times. I was left, at five, to take care of myself. I was five when I had to worry about where each meal was coming from. I was five when I had to make sure I had clean clothes for school. I was five when I taught myself to use a vacuum and clean the apartment." He swallows, "I was five when I had to tend to my drunk mother and make sure she didn't suffocate in a pool of her own vomit."

Sharon feels her eyes beginning to sting with tears, "I..."

"Sorry? I don't want your apologies. I want you to give a shit about Kate. She can't have your milk now because you had to be selfish." Rusty shakes his head, "What the hell was the other night? Some releasing your tensions bullshit? Is that what it was?"

She swallows, her hands trembling, "I needed to feel numb."

"Why?"

"I knew...I knew what needed to be done with Eve. I knew it before she snapped and..." Sharon's face tightens as a tear escapes from her eye, only to be pressed against her skin by a quick finger, "She snapped and I couldn't stop it anymore. I couldn't help her like I was supposed to."

"Did you tell Andy about the thing?" Rusty slowly moves closer to the woman, the infant comfortably settling against his chest.

She nods quickly, "It was fine. He was...He was upset I didn't tell him sooner."

"Right. I told you." He sighs, "You okay? About the thing or Eve?"

Sitting on the edge of his bed, she pulls her arms around herself, "I think so."

"She needed it, Sharon. You know she needed it."

"I didn't want to admit it though. I didn't want that for her. In her line of work, if a single parent finds out she was there, her career is over. Completely over." Sharon swallows, "I didn't want that to happen...I never want that to happen."

"It won't. Even if it did, though, this is different. It isn't like she started collecting cats and wearing her underwear on the outside of her pants. Multiple traumatic things happened to her in a short amount of time. It's a lot to deal with. I think parents would understand that." Rusty sits next to her.

"Parents are stupid."

"Did you really just say that?" He glances around, "Let me write that down. I'll write it down for Kate when she says it in a dozen years."

Sharon smirks, shaking her head, "You know what I mean. At the type of school where she's teaching? Some will hunt for anything just to prove a teacher isn't good enough."

"She works at a public school."

"She works at a charter school."

"Same thing. It's free." Rusty nods, "She doesn't work at Saint Joseph's. Parents are happy their kids are even going to school more or less care what is going on with the teachers."

She nods slowly, "Okay."

"So, right now, all you have to worry about is Kate. You have to shape her still. Sort of like clay, except more adorable."

Sharon smirks, "I agree."

Rusty keeps the baby close as he gets back up to his pillows, "I looked on the internet about when you can feed her your milk again."

"And?"

"They said, and this is gross, pump and dump a couple times, then she's good to go."

Sharon stands, helping him into bed with the baby, "Are you sure?"

"It's what I read." Rusty nods, "From a doctor's site."

"Okay." She smiles, "Thank you." Kissing him on the head, Sharon pauses, looking at them, "Would you care if I slept in here tonight?"

He shakes his head, "It's a big bed."

She smiles, "Let me go check on Flynn first...let him know." She nods, walking to the door.

Flynn quickly shuts off the baby monitor that he had been listening to the entire time and turns off the light, sliding under the covers just enough so it would look like he went to sleep.

Sharon grins more as she peeks into the crack of the door, returning to her children. She needs them close tonight.


	20. Chapter 20

The moonlight glow shines above them as they sit in the yard behind the house. The Baptism had gone off without a hitch. Louie and Liz Provenza may have marked the oldest godparents to date, but they were both excited that it was one another that the child had to depend on. Everyone important to their lives were present, even their children on both sides. Rusty had invited his girlfriend of a few months and had left to take her home.

Sharon cuddles the infant against her chest, stroking her fine hair, "Still smells like chrism."

"Chrism?"

"The oil that the priest put on her head." She smirks, kissing the baby's temple, "It has a very distinct smell."

Andy nods, keeping an arm wrapped around her, "Everything went off pretty great, didn't it?"

Sharon glances to him, "Couldn't have gone any better, actually."

He shrugs, "Well, Mrs. Flynn, it could have if you let us announce what we did over the weekend."

"That isn't exactly something you announce to family-"

"You know what I mean." Andy chuckles.

"It was Kate's day. I didn't want to...I didn't want to take it from her."

"Katie is pretty happy that her parents are married. If she isn't, she should be." He nods, "We could have at least told your parents."

"I'll tell them later." Sharon smiles, "Don't worry, would you?" She takes her free hand and places it on his cheek, kissing him softly, "People will know. I'm proud to be your wife."

"Never would have thought I'd be so lucky." Andy kisses her in return, "How about we put her to bed, sit on the sofa, relax..." He waves his eyebrows.

"Relax?"

He hums his response, with a nod. Andy slowly gets up, picking the baby from her arms, and offering his hand to help her up.

Sharon smirks, taking his hand and standing, taking the baby back. She walks past him to the house and baby's room.

Flynn steps inside, sliding some old classic Blues album he had brought from his place into the player. He turns the music on for just the living room, then lights the extensive amount of candles in the room, letting them light it completely. He stands in the doorway, waiting for her return, and offers her his hand when she exits the baby's room.

She giggles softly, taking his hand and leaning into him as they sway to the music, "You were right, this is relaxing."

"Told you that it would be." Andy slides his hand to her lower back, pulling her closer to him. "You looked so beautiful today. Something about the way the sunlight from the stained glass windows accentuated your eyes...I would have taken you right there on the alter."

"I don't think Father Joe would have liked that very much." Sharon blushes, smirking as she places her cheek against her husband's chest.

"Never know." He chuckles, placing his face against her hair, "I'm glad you didn't want a big ceremony."

"Last time I had a big ceremony, it ended in unhappiness. It ended in unhappiness and hate for someone I once loved and admired. I couldn't risk that again."

"I feel the same way." He nods, "Sometimes bigger isn't better."

"Being that we have waited so long for this to...flourish, I think we will be fine." Sharon picks her head up to look him in the eye, "Rusty's girlfriend seemed nice."

Andy smirks, "She looked like you." He shrugs, kissing her jaw, "Not too much, but just enough."

"Oh, she did not-"

"She did, Shar. They say boys look for their mother in their girlfriends. Well..." He tilts his head to the side, "We know who he considers his mother."

Sharon grins, reaching her hand up to stroke his sideburns with her nails, "I'm very flattered."

"Best mother that kid has ever had." He kisses her lips softly, "Only mother he's ever wanted."

"Hmmm." She drapes an arm around his neck, holding his lips against her own, "Well, you're the best father that Katie could ask for...Rusty too, and you've helped my children more than...more than their own father ever did." Sharon pauses, placing a hand over her own chest, "Thank you. From the bottom of my heart."

"We're a family. That's what family does, Sharon." Andy nods, "Haven't we been over this already."

"Yes, but I still mean it. This is new territory to me still. We've...it was a year the other day. It has been a year since we created Kate."

"Did you write that down?" He raises an eyebrow.

"Well...It's something I remember." Sharon tilts her head to the side, "When it's been twenty years since..." She nods, knowing he would understand where she was going.

"Ah." Flynn smirks, "It was good."

"It was." She raises an eyebrow.

"We could do that again." He finally dips her as they continue to sway to the music, kissing her deeply as he brings her back up.

"What about Rusty coming home?"

"He took his girlfriend home. They're probably off making out somewhere in his car." He chuckles when she playfully hits his arm, "Look, I told him to be back by midnight. When I was his age, I was home ten minutes after."

"You also didn't have a record at his age."

"That's not true, but let's not get into that, Mrs. Flynn."

"I didn't take your name, so I'm technically not Mrs. Flynn."

"You can change it later." He smirks, pulling her over to the sofa.

"What makes you think I want to?"

"To have the same last name as our daughter." Andy nods, sinking to the sofa.

Sharon hums her approval as she follows him, "I see your point."

"So will you?"

"I think I can be swayed into doing so."

He nods, letting her sit before he places his lips against hers.

She responds by slowly turning and straddling his lap, never once breaking the kiss. Sharon lets her nimble fingers slowly unbutton his dress shirt.

Flynn lets his hand travel up her form fitting black skirt and rest just inside the elastic of her panties at her hip.

Sharon grins, slowly grinding against him, still fully clothed.

"Sharon, do we have any-" Another voice tries, the usual gait of shoes can be heard, but not until it's too late, "Whoa, okay." Rusty covers his eyes, "Yeah, so...Okay...I'm going to...Huh...Well..." He slowly turns away, darting to his bedroom.

She falls against her husband, giggling, "We'd better get to our room before we get yelled at."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Flynn lets her down, standing from the sofa, his own sign of appreciation toward her fully relevant in his trousers, causing her to laugh even harder, "That's not a vote of confidence, Shar."

"I'm sorry, it's just...It's, once I get started with this, it's hard for me to...It's hard for me to stop." Sharon holds onto his hand as they fumble toward their bedroom.

"We'll figure out a way." He smirks, kissing her once more as they stumble through the doorway, nearly slamming the door behind them.


End file.
